The recent unveiling of the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) five-year strategy was accompanied by all the signs of a major national moment, dignitaries, speeches, applause and ambitious promises about transforming Lesotho’s economy.
On paper, the targets are attractive and exactly what a struggling country like Lesotho wants to hear. The strategy promises to facilitate 50,000 new jobs, develop 100 Basotho industrialists, establish five new industrial sectors, and contribute towards 7% GDP per capita growth by 2031.
At face value, there is nothing wrong with ambition. In fact, Lesotho desperately needs bold economic thinking at a time when unemployment continues to rise, factories continue to close and young people are losing hope of ever finding decent work.
The real issue is whether Basotho should genuinely believe these targets are achievable based on the realities currently on the ground.
For years, the LNDC has talked industrialisation, investment attraction and economic diversification. But many industrial sites under its control remain underutilised or completely empty.
Anyone driving through industrial areas in Tikoe, Thetsane, Maputsoe or Ha Nyenye can see many factory shells standing idle. Some have remained empty since the economic shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the textile sector.
Others were affected by global supply chain disruptions and rising operating costs linked to geopolitical tensions around the world. Still, there are others that have never been used since completion of their construction!
These empty factories are not just buildings; they represent lost jobs, lost income and broken hopes for thousands of Basotho families. Many workers who once depended on these factories are still unemployed today.
That is why the new strategy cannot simply rely on polished presentations and ambitious figures. Basotho have heard ambitious promises before. What they now want to see is practical action that delivers visible results.
The strategy correctly speaks about diversification away from overdependence on the apparel industry. Lesotho’s economy has for too long relied heavily on textile exports under trade agreements such as African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
And the textile industry has become increasingly fragile due to global competition, rising production costs and uncertainty over international trade arrangements. Diversification now rather later, is therefore more than necessary.
Diversification should begin with what Lesotho already has instead of always waiting for completely new mega-investments that may never arrive.
The empty factory shells across the country are low-hanging fruits that LNDC can immediately use to test its strategy.
Why can’t these facilities be repurposed into agro-processing centres? Lesotho imports large amounts of poultry products, pork, vegetables and processed foods from South Africa every year. Yet the country already has infrastructure sitting unused.
Some factory shells could probably be converted into poultry production and processing centres. Others could support piggery projects or food packaging operations for local and regional markets.
There is also a growing global interest in indoor farming technologies where crops are grown inside controlled environments. While such projects may sound ambitious, they are not impossible if approached gradually and strategically.
Even small pilot projects could help create jobs while reducing dependence on imports. More importantly, these kinds of projects would directly support food security while stimulating local production chains.
The LNDC strategy speaks strongly about creating Basotho industrialists. But industrialists do not emerge from speeches alone. They emerge when institutions deliberately support local entrepreneurs with affordable factory space, financing access, mentorship and market linkages.
Many young local entrepreneurs still struggle to access industrial space or capital despite years of hearing about empowerment programmes.
The danger with overly ambitious targets is that they can quickly become public relations exercises rather than measurable development plans.
Creating 50,000 jobs within five years is a massive undertaking for an economy as small and constrained as Lesotho’s. It will require far more than conferences and strategy launches.
It will require aggressive implementation, accountability and a willingness to make difficult decisions.
The LNDC also needs to improve public confidence through regular progress reporting. Basotho should not have to wait five years to discover whether the strategy succeeded or failed.
Quarterly or annual updates showing how many factories have been occupied, how many jobs have been created and how many Basotho businesses have been supported would help build trust.
To his credit, LNDC’s Chief Executive Officer Thabo Khasipe appears to understand the scale of the challenge. He is widely regarded as intelligent and capable. But intelligence alone will not solve Lesotho’s unemployment crisis.
The institution he leads must now move beyond broad ambitions and focus on practical, visible interventions that ordinary Basotho can feel in their daily lives.
The truth is simple: if the empty factory shells remain empty five years from now, then this strategy will have failed regardless of how impressive it sounds on paper. Lesotho’s job-seeking public cannot afford another strategy that produces headlines without producing jobs.
Summary
- The recent unveiling of the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) five-year strategy was accompanied by all the signs of a major national moment, dignitaries, speeches, applause and ambitious promises about transforming Lesotho’s economy.
- In fact, Lesotho desperately needs bold economic thinking at a time when unemployment continues to rise, factories continue to close and young people are losing hope of ever finding decent work.
- The real issue is whether Basotho should genuinely believe these targets are achievable based on the realities currently on the ground.
Authored by our expert team of writers and editors, with thorough research.
