Section 21 non-profit association
NESPA is the national body for Namibia's events services industry. We represent the venues, suppliers and professionals who deliver Namibia's meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, and we work to formalise that sector so it can be trusted, procured and grown.
Every event is a supply chain. Namibia has the operators. What it has lacked is the structure that lets a buyer, a bank or a ministry see them as one accountable industry.
The problem
Namibia's events services sector employs people, moves capital and carries the visitor experience for every conference, exhibition and national event held in the country. It does this without a common register, a shared code of conduct, or a single counterparty that government, tourism authorities and international buyers can deal with.
That gap is not cosmetic. It shows up as procurement risk for the buyer, as pricing without benchmarks for the supplier, as difficulty accessing finance and insurance, and as an absence of the sector from the tables where tourism and investment policy is set.
Hundreds of independent operators, from venues and caterers to audiovisual, décor, staffing and rentals, negotiate individually with regulators, clients and financiers. No single body carries the sector's position.
Quality, safety, contracting and pricing conventions vary from operator to operator. Buyers cannot compare, and reputable operators carry the reputational cost of those who fall short.
Public and corporate procurement rewards suppliers who are formal, verifiable and compliant. Informality locks capable Namibian businesses out of the contracts they are able to deliver.
Business events are a recognised pillar of tourism strategy worldwide. Namibia's events services capability is rarely counted, measured or marketed as part of the national tourism offer.
Our mandate
Registered object 1
To represent and promote events services providers in Namibia.
NESPA speaks for the sector as one constituency before government, the Namibia Tourism Board, the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, financial institutions and the wider tourism sector.
Registered object 2
To formalise the industry in line with Government initiatives.
NESPA is building a register of members and a code of conduct, and supports operators to meet registration, tax, safety and contracting requirements.
Registered object 3
To promote tourism in events.
NESPA places Namibia's events capability inside the national tourism offer, and works with partners to attract business events to Namibia and keep the value they create here.
Representation, standards, market access and capability building for event service providers of every size, anywhere in Namibia.
A route to Namibian suppliers who have committed to a published code of conduct, and a single point of contact for sourcing an event in Namibia.
A formally constituted, governed counterparty for policy consultation, sector data, joint programmes and destination marketing.
About NESPA
The Namibia Events Services Providers Association is a non-profit association incorporated under Section 21 of the Companies Act 28 of 2004, established by founding members drawn from across the Namibian events supply chain.
Namibia hosts national conferences, regional summits, exhibitions, corporate functions and destination events. Behind each one sits a supply chain of venues, caterers, technical crews, décor houses, staffing agencies, equipment rental companies and event managers.
That supply chain has grown faster than the structures around it. There is no common register of who operates in the sector, no agreed standard of practice, and no recognised body that can carry the industry's position into policy, procurement or destination marketing.
NESPA was formed to close that gap. Not as a marketing collective, and not as a buying group, but as an industry body: a member owned, governed institution that sets standards for its members and represents them where decisions about the sector are made.
Vision
To establish Namibia as a leading African centre of excellence for professional events services.
Mission
To serve as the recognised and influential representative body for the events services industry in Namibia by advancing professional standards, supporting member growth and promoting Namibia as a destination of choice for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE).
Founding memorandum
From the Memorandum of Association registered with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), registration number 21/2026/0562.
What we stand for
NESPA is an association of its members. It holds no commercial interest in any member's business and does not compete with the businesses it represents.
Membership is open to event service providers across all disciplines and all fourteen regions, from established venues to owner operated suppliers, subject to the membership criteria.
Membership signals a commitment to the code of conduct. NESPA will not market a member as accredited until that member meets the published requirements.
Formalisation is treated as a pathway, not a barrier. NESPA supports members in meeting registration, tax, safety and contracting requirements rather than excluding those who are not yet there.
The board is accountable to members through the constitution, the annual general meeting, and published financial reporting.
Constituent disciplines
The NESPA constitution defines the events services industry as the full ecosystem of providers, suppliers and service entities behind an event in Namibia.
Membership
Membership of NESPA is open to businesses and professionals providing services to the Namibian events industry. Members commit to the code of conduct and, in return, gain representation, standing and access.
Who can join
Set out in clause 3.1 of the NESPA constitution. Membership is open, subject to board approval, to any organisation or individual interested in NESPA achieving its mission.
Voting
Registered companies providing event management, videography, photography and production, entertainment, catering, décor, audiovisual, venue or related events services in Namibia.
Voting when formal
Small and medium enterprises and sole proprietors in the events services industry, in two sub-categories:
Voting
Freelancers, consultants and independent event professionals working in their personal capacity. Full voting rights in good standing.
Non-voting
Suppliers, sponsors and partners that support the events services industry but do not provide event services directly.
Non-voting
Students enrolled in event management, hospitality, tourism or related studies at recognised tertiary institutions.
Non-voting
Individuals recognised for an outstanding contribution to the events services industry, admitted by board resolution. No fees apply.
Fees for each category are approved at the annual general meeting and will be published here once the budget is finalised. Annual fees are payable within 30 days of acceptance or renewal, and the board may approve payment in monthly instalments.
Member benefits
Set out in clause 3.3 of the NESPA constitution. The board determines the benefits available to members from time to time.
NESPA represents members in engagements with government and other stakeholders, including the Namibia Tourism Board and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board.
Voting rights at general meetings, and eligibility for election to the board, depending on your membership category and good standing.
Listing in the official NESPA Member directory, a reference point for clients looking for professional events services in Namibia. The directory is in development.
Use of the NESPA Member logo on your materials, subject to the approved usage guidelines. Its release date will be announced.
Industry insights and market research, quarterly sector briefings, and training for members and industry stakeholders.
Participation in NESPA events, networking opportunities and capacity-building programmes.
Application
Complete this enquiry and NESPA will respond with the membership requirements and the next steps.
Membership applications are approved by the board. Submitting this form does not confer membership.
MICE and industry
Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions bring higher yield visitors, in shoulder seasons, with spend that lands directly in local supply chains. That value is only captured where the supply chain is organised, verifiable and able to deliver to international standard.
Delegates use the same airlines, hotels, transport, restaurants and pre and post tour operators as leisure visitors. A conference is a tourism product with a procurement process attached to it.
International associations and corporate buyers assess a destination on whether it can deliver: venues, technical production, catering at scale, staffing, safety and contracting certainty. That assessment is made on the sector, not on the scenery.
Buyers, insurers and financiers transact with registered, compliant, contractable entities. Every step toward formality widens the set of events a Namibian supplier is permitted to bid for.
Where local capability is not recognised, technical production, staging and specialist services are imported for major events. A verified national register makes local sourcing the default rather than the risk.
Where NESPA fits
Destination marketing organisations, convention bureaus and investment agencies need an industry body to work with. Someone to consult on policy, to convene the supply chain, to hold a register, to run standards, and to answer for the sector's performance.
NESPA is engaged with the Namibia Tourism Board and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, both of which have indicated their willingness to support NESPA as its governance and operational structures are formalised. NESPA also engages the Namibia Convention Bureau through the National MICE Committee.
Promoting tourism in events is one of the three objects in NESPA's founding memorandum. NESPA is being built to be that counterparty for Namibia: constituted, governed, member funded and accountable.
For buyers and organisers
Identify Namibian suppliers who have accepted a published code of conduct and are in good standing with the association.
The NESPA Member directory is in development and will be published here.
Tell us what you are planning. Email info@nespa-nam.com or use the contact form.
Members commit to a common code of conduct covering contracting, pricing and delivery.
The Member Code of Conduct and its complaints procedure are being finalised by the board.
Standards and accreditation
An association is only as credible as the standard it holds its members to. NESPA membership is a commitment, made in writing, to a published code of conduct. The code is the product. Everything else follows from it.
The member code below is a proposal. The board adopted the Board Members Code of Conduct on 9 September 2026. The Member Code of Conduct will replace this proposal once the board adopts it.
Proposed Member Code of Conduct
Members operate as registered entities, maintain the licences their discipline requires, and meet their tax and statutory obligations.
Members quote in writing, contract in writing, disclose the basis of pricing, and do not introduce undisclosed charges after acceptance.
Members take reasonable steps to protect delegates, staff and the public, and carry appropriate insurance for the work they undertake.
Members comply with the Labour Act, pay agreed rates on agreed terms, and treat contracted event staff and freelancers fairly.
Members deliver what was contracted, communicate proactively when they cannot, and resolve complaints in good faith.
Members compete on merit. They do not disparage other members, poach contracted staff mid event, or engage in collusive pricing.
Members manage waste, energy and site impact responsibly, and source locally where they can do so without compromising delivery.
Accreditation pathway
Membership begins with signed acceptance of the code. Accreditation, where a member is independently verified against category specific criteria, is a further step. NESPA will not describe a member as accredited before that verification exists.
The constitution commits NESPA to developing an accreditation framework alongside the Member directory.
Complaints
Complaints about a member are handled under the Member Code of Conduct and NESPA's complaints and disciplinary procedure. The Governance and Ethics Committee investigates and may recommend sanctions to the board, up to termination of membership (constitution, clause 3.4).
The procedure will be published here once the board adopts it.
Documents
Institutional credibility depends on documents that anyone can read. They are published here as they are adopted.
Leadership and governance
NESPA is governed by a board elected by and accountable to its members, under its Memorandum of Association, its constitution and the Companies Act 28 of 2004.
Founding board
The founding board of seven is made up of representatives of the members who subscribed to NESPA's incorporation. It serves an inaugural term of three years. During this foundation phase it acts as a Working Board, carrying both governance and operational duties until a Secretariat or Executive Director is appointed.
Executive Chairperson
Chairs the board and provides executive leadership, coordination and oversight of the implementation of board decisions, in line with the constitution and the approved authority framework.
Executive Vice-Chairperson
Supports and deputises for the Executive Chairperson, carrying out delegated executive, administrative and representational functions, in line with the constitution and the approved authority framework.
Board members support NESPA's objectives by taking an active part in its activities, initiatives and decisions, while upholding the constitution, values and standards of the association.
Monika K. Sheefeni
Wilmary C. Tsamareb
Leefa B. W. Ndilula
Marelise Serfontein
Remind I. Ekandjo
From the constitution
NESPA is a non-profit association incorporated under Section 21 of the Companies Act 28 of 2004, limited by guarantee and without share capital. Income and property are applied solely to its objects and are not distributed to members.
If NESPA is ever wound up, its remaining assets go to an institution with similar objects, as decided by the members. Each member's liability is limited to a guarantee of N$1.00.
Board members are elected at the annual general meeting by secret ballot, for terms of three years. After the founding board's inaugural term, about one third of the board rotates each year. No one serves more than two consecutive terms.
The board has between seven and twelve members. In constituting it, members have regard to representation across membership categories and, where practicable, to gender balance and regional representation.
Each board member declares their interests within 14 days of appointment and updates the declaration every year. Declarations are kept in a Conflict-of-Interest Register, and a board member with a material interest in a matter does not vote on it.
The financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Annual financial statements are audited by an external auditor appointed at the annual general meeting and presented to members for approval. Accounting records are open to members for inspection.
The constitution requires the board to establish three standing committees, each chaired by a board member: Finance and Audit, Governance and Ethics, and Membership.
Board members sign the Board Members Code of Conduct on appointment and every year after. It covers integrity, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, gifts and hospitality, the use of NESPA resources and public statements.
Annual general meeting
The first annual general meeting will be held at Droombos in February 2027, on a date to be confirmed by the board. Members receive written notice 21 to 35 days before the meeting, and motions are circulated at least 14 days before. A quorum is a majority of the members entitled to vote.
Governance documents
The constitution and the Board Members Code of Conduct were approved by the board on 9 September 2026.
News and updates
Formal notices from the association: incorporation, membership, governance, policy engagement and industry briefings.
The NESPA board approved the association's Articles of Association, which also serve as its constitution, and the Board Members Code of Conduct. Both are available in the public register of association documents.
NESPA was officially incorporated on 13 April 2026 as a non-profit association under Section 21 of the Companies Act, registration number 21/2026/0562. This marks an important milestone in professionalising Namibia's events industry through stronger industry standards, collaboration, representation and a unified platform supporting the sector's sustainable growth and development.
NESPA's founding membership brings together industry professionals and stakeholders committed to shaping the association's direction. These members form the foundation of NESPA's network, supporting its governance, industry representation, collaboration and long-term development.
Quarterly sector briefings, policy engagement and membership deadlines. No marketing.
Your address is sent to NESPA at info@nespa-nam.com.
Contact
For membership, partnership, media, policy engagement or sourcing an event in Namibia.
