OL Leisure showcased the fully re-imagined Mokuti Etosha to invited guests, marking the completion of a N$260 million transformation carried out since 2022. The Right Honourable Dr. Ngurare, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia, officially marked the completion of the property by unveiling a plaque during an evening event at the SkyBoma on 3 July.
Executive Chairman of the OL Group, Sven Thieme, told guests that the investment stands as one of OL Leisure's clearest statements of the company's belief in the future of Namibian tourism. “The total investment in Mokuti is one of OL Leisure's most direct statements of our belief in the future of Namibian tourism. We made this commitment in the aftermath of a global pandemic that devastated the hospitality industry. We made it because we take a long view and because this is our home. We made it because we believe – with every conviction at our disposal – that Namibia is a premier global destination and that premier destinations deserve world-class products. Mokuti is that product.”
Beyond the financial capital, this investment has served as a tangible engine for local job creation, employing a total project workforce of 115 people during construction—of which an overwhelming 111 individuals are proudly Namibian. The project also stimulated indirect economic opportunities through approximately 15 local material and equipment suppliers. Crucially, this momentum translates into sustainable hospitality careers, as Mokuti is expanding its permanent operational workforce from 120 to 136 employees, supplemented by 13 fixed-term staff within this financial year.
In his keynote address, delivered on behalf of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Prime Minister Dr Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare thanked the OL Group for believing in Namibia with their capital, their vision and their time. "Thank you for choosing to build here, invest here and stay here," he said. "We see your work and we are grateful for it." He noted that tourism contributes approximately 6.9% directly to Namibia's GDP, generating around N$14.3 billion in economic activity and sustaining more than 57,000 direct jobs. "These are livelihoods, businesses and communities that depend on a thriving tourism sector.” Namibia recorded a strong recovery in tourist arrivals in 2024, though arrivals declined in 2025 meaning that tourism cannot be taken for granted. "It requires continuous investment, effective marketing, quality service and supportive policy to remain competitive," he advised.
Dr Ngurare added: "Tonight's inauguration is, in many ways, the culmination of all of that. Mokuti Etosha has been reimagined from the ground up, with new common spaces including the entrance and restaurants, renovated rooms and enhanced junior suites, the newly unveiled Ombala Presidential Suite and this extraordinary SkyBoma. What I see here tonight is what Namibian investment in Namibian tourism can look like at its very best."
