Corporate Governance & Compliance

Corporate Governance & Compliance

Transparency, Accountability, and International Standards

Our Commitment to Governance

The Grow Namibia Foundation and About Africa Co. are committed to operating with the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct. As custodians of a public-interest service — facilitating access to Namibia's national park permits on behalf of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) — we hold ourselves to international governance and auditing standards.

Every transaction processed through this platform is subject to a complete, immutable audit trail. We believe that trust is earned through verifiable transparency, and our systems are designed to ensure that every Namibian Dollar collected, every permit issued, and every refund processed can be traced, verified, and reported upon.

Auditing Standards

International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)

Our financial controls and audit trail systems are designed with reference to the standards published by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), an independent standard-setting body under the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

The IAASB develops auditing, assurance, and quality management standards that serve the public interest by enhancing the quality and consistency of practice throughout the world and strengthening public confidence in the global auditing and assurance profession.

While we are not a registered audit firm, we voluntarily align our internal controls with IAASB principles to ensure:

  • Complete and immutable audit trails for all financial transactions
  • Proper segregation of duties between order processing, verification, and financial reporting
  • Transparent revenue recognition that accurately distinguishes MEFT fees from service fees
  • Documented procedures for cancellations, voids, refunds, and reversals with mandatory reason codes
  • Timestamped, user-attributed records for every state change in the permit lifecycle
  • Credit note generation for all financial reversals, maintaining a complete paper trail

Our Internal Controls

How We Ensure Accuracy and Transparency

Immutable Audit Trail

Every action on the platform — from order creation to payment, verification, cancellation, or refund — is recorded with a timestamp, the acting user, and a detailed description. These records cannot be altered or deleted.

Order Lifecycle Management

Orders follow a strict lifecycle: Pending → Paid → Verified (or Cancelled/Voided/Refunded). Each transition requires a mandatory reason code and is logged for audit purposes. No order can be silently removed from the system.

Revenue Separation

MEFT government fees and About Africa Co. facilitation fees are calculated, stored, and reported separately. Revenue reports clearly distinguish between funds held in trust for MEFT and service revenue, ensuring full transparency with the Ministry.

Credit Note System

Every cancellation, void, or refund generates a formal credit note with a unique reference number, linking back to the original order. This ensures a complete financial paper trail that can be independently verified.

Role-Based Access Control

Platform access is governed by role-based permissions. Administrators, processors, and regular users each have defined capabilities. Sensitive operations like refunds and cancellations are restricted to authorised personnel.

Real-Time Reporting

Revenue reports, nationality breakdowns, and order statistics are generated in real-time from live data, excluding cancelled, voided, and refunded orders from active revenue calculations to prevent inflated reporting.

Relationship with MEFT

Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism

This platform operates under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism of the Republic of Namibia. We are committed to full transparency with the Ministry regarding all permit transactions, revenue collected, and visitor statistics.

  • All MEFT fees collected are held in trust and remitted according to the terms of the MOU
  • Regular reporting on permit volumes, revenue, and visitor demographics is provided to MEFT
  • The platform's audit trail is available for inspection by MEFT or their appointed auditors at any time

Data Protection & Privacy

Personal information collected through this platform is processed in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of Namibia and international data protection best practices. Visitor data is used solely for permit processing and statutory reporting to MEFT.

Governance Enquiries

For questions regarding our governance practices, audit procedures, or compliance matters, please contact:

[email protected]

Last updated: February 2026

Fee Schedule Update

Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism

In accordance with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), revised park entrance and conservation fees will come into effect from 1 April 2026.

The updated fees follow the public consultation process concluded by MEFT and are in line with the official Ministerial Guidelines. All permits issued through our platform will automatically reflect the new rates from the effective date.

What this means for you

  • •Orders placed before 1 April 2026 will be charged at current rates
  • •Orders placed from 1 April 2026 will reflect the new MEFT fee schedule
  • •No action is required on your part — rates update automatically