State of the Map Africa 2025/Call for venues/Namibia
About
Welcome to the bid proposal page for hosting the State of Map Africa in 2025 in Windhoek, Namibia. The OpenStreetMap Namibia team is sharing all relevant information here.
Namibia is a country of vast open spaces and diverse culture and nature, spanning an area of 825,615 km². It is uniquely positioned between two deserts: the Namib in the west and the Kalahari in the east. With a population of over 3.02 million people, Namibia has a low population density of just 3 people per km². The country borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola to the north, South Africa to the south, and Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana to the east.
Despite its small population, an active OpenStreetMap community has been established in Namibia. OpenStreetMap Namibia promises to host a vibrant and enriching conference catering to both beginners and expert mappers. The conference will be held in Windhoek, Namibia's commercial hub, at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.
State of the Map 2025 Namibia Vision
The State of the Map Africa 2025 will be a platform for participants to showcase progress in the use of OSM, innovations in design, data quality and emerging research.
In addition, it will be an opportunity to increase visibility for the OpenStreetMap community to national government, international development agencies , private sector and the startup ecosystem within Africa.
OpenStreetMap Namibia was started in 2020 with the goal of democratizing geographic data collection. The OSM Namibia community aims to increase the community of contributors , plus enhance the visibility and availability of spatial data.
OpenStreetMap Namibia seeks to demonstrate to local and international stakeholders the value of high-quality open spatial data and the benefits that OpenStreetMap provides in areas such as urban and rural land use planning, disaster mitigation, and land administration.
Who is the SotM Africa 2025 Namibia Team?
The Namibia bid Team:
| Name | Organisation |
| Royal Mabakeng | Namibia University of Science and Technology |
| Alina Shikongo | NUST Youth Mappers |
| Florian Marembo | OSM Namibia youth Coordinator |
| Melkisedek Namupolo | Namibia Housing Action Group |
| Divaldo Lourenco | OSM Namibia |
| Uazu Uazukuani | Wetu Geo-Information Technology cc |
Venue and Catering
We anticipate hosting up to 200 delegates for the SoTMapAfrica 2025. Participants will be from the OSM community and across other stakeholder groups (government, civil society, academia, non-governmental organisation, technical community, etc.). Windhoek, offers a selection of various and suitable venues for the conference. Our proposed venues are at the Namibia University of Science and Technology in Windhoek. The NUST Hotel school provides catering services and vendors are open to cater within the university.
When
We propose to the host the conference in September 2025 . For the host , this will be during a mid-semester break. Furthermore, the month is very suitable for its weather to move on across the city. We can consider alternate dates.
Transportation
The Hosea Kutako is the main internation airport located 45km east of Windhoek.
· Road Transport -Shuttles and local taxis are available, all taxis are marked with registration numbers for identification purposes. Taxis cost less than 1 euro in one direction.
· Yango, Lefa are the uber alternatives. The apps can be downloaded from the apple and play store
Don’t hail unmarked taxis on the street. Use taxis with the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association logo. Book taxis through your hotel or a taxi company.
Accommodation
NUST is centrally located in Windhoek west, and about 950 meters from the Central Business District. Participants can book accommodation within and around NUST.
The NUST hotel school also provides accommodation ranging from 39 Euros for single room.
Budget
We anticipate the participation 150 people at the three day event. 1 USD = 20 NAD
| Items | Quantity | Unit Price (US$) | Amount | Comments |
| 1. Venue | 3 | 500 | 1500 | |
| 2. Catering | 150 | 60 | 9000 | |
| 3. Scholarships | 20 | 2000 | 40000 | 20 people from different African countries |
| 4. Sound System | 3 | 300 | 900 | |
| 5. Pre-Conference Marketing | 1 | 1000 | 1000 | |
| 6. Pull up banners | 4 | 100 | 400 | |
| 7. Teardrop banners | 2 | 100 | 200 | |
| 8. T-Shirts | 200 | 30 | 6000 | |
| 9. Conference package | 200 | 15 | 3000 | Program Book, Pen, Name tag |
| 10. Stickers | 1000 | 1 | 1000 | |
| 11. Photography and video coverage | 3 | 350 | 1050 | |
| 12. Security | 1 | 120 | 120 | |
| 13. Internet Data | 2 | 300 | 600 | |
| 14. Drinks | 200 | 30 | 6000 | |
| 15. Volunteers | 10 | 35 | 350 | |
| 16. Miscellaneous | 1 | 1000 | 1000 | |
| Total | 72120 |
Safety and Security
More information for attendees and their travelling companions.
- Petty crime is common, including in urban centres. This includes pickpocketing, bag-snatching and car break-ins. Don’t leave valuables in your car. Always keep vehicle doors locked and windows up, even when moving.
- Avoid walking alone in large towns, particularly at night. Don’t pick up strangers
Visa Information
Namibia is known to be a visa friendly country. . The Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration handles of visa applications. Details on application process are below.
Some African countries qualify for Visa on arrival, verify with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration website.
Vaccinations requirements for travel to Namibia
- Carry your yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're coming from a country where there’s a risk of yellow fever. You’ll need it to enter Namibia.
- The official currency is the Namibian Dollar (NAD). You can also use South African rand (ZAR). You can use credit cards in major centres. ATMs are available in cities, but not always in remote areas.
Internet Connection
NUST is equipped with state-of-the-art internet. Mobile services are available from MTC located on campus. (we need confirmation from DICT that the connections at NUST can manage for 100+ participants, as this will be hosted over a weekend, I think the speed will be better compared to that on weekdays)
Language
English is the official language in Namibia.
Namibia has 24 indigenous languages and major dialects, including Oshiwambo, Rukavango, Otjiherero, Damara, Nama, Silozi, Khoisan and Setswana. Prominent languages are Afrikaans and English.
Category: State of the Map Africa 2025