Windhoek - About 1.2 million Namibians are to line up to vote for a new president and parliament on Friday morning.
The election is expected to be won by Prime Minister Hage Geingob in a sixth straight victory for the ruling South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo) party.
Geingob, 73, who has twice served as prime minister of the diamond and uranium-rich former German colony, faces eight challengers in the race to replace President Hifikepunye Pohamba, who has been in power since 2005 and is barred from running for a third term.
Swapo, which has ruled Namibia since independence in 1990, is expected to preserve its two-thirds majority in parliament.
Many young voters, frustrated with Swapo's failure to address widespread poverty in one of Africa's richest countries, are backing the opposition Democratic Turnhalle Alliance. Its 37-year-old chief, former minister McHenry Venaani, is running for president.
About 1 200 fixed and 2 700 mobile polling stations are set to close at 9pm. Because they are linked to an electronic system - it will be Africa's first e-vote - preliminary results are expected a few hours after the polls close.
More than 40 percent of Namibia's population live in poverty. In addition to diamond and uranium extraction, Namibia is also a major travel destination, drawing tourists to the Namib desert that runs along its coast. - Sapa-dpa