Namibia Minute.
Monday, 7 September 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 7 September 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

African Continental Free Trade Area

Also known as: African Continental Free Trade Area agreement · AfCFTA

Continental trade agreement that African nations are being urged to implement faster, with only nine certificates of origin issued under it in Namibia as of August 2026.

2022-09-162026-09-07
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. May 2026

  2. The Namibian

    African Continental Free Trade Area is flagship project of African Union's Agenda 2063

    Source

    “The AfCFTA is one of the flagship projects of the African Union's Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.”

    Swakop expo to unlock African trade

  3. Informanté

    African Continental Free Trade Area offers African countries opportunity to transform continent into integrated market

    Source

    “She noted that the African Continental Free Trade Area offers African countries an opportunity to transform the continent into an integrated market driven by industrialisation, innovation, value addition and intra-African trade.”

    Witbooi calls for stronger Namibia-Kenya economic partnerships

  4. The Namibian

    The African Continental Free Trade Area offers a major opportunity to transform Africa into an integrated market

    Source

    “Witbooi said the African Continental Free Trade Area offers a major opportunity to transform Africa into an integrated market, driven by industrialisation, innovation, value addition and intra-Africa trade.”

    Vice president calls for Africa to trade more with itself

  5. Informanté

    African Continental Free Trade Area is noted to be strengthened by the summit's engagement opportunities for African countries

    Source

    “She emphasised the summit's continental relevance, noting that it offers African countries a chance to engage more deliberately, identify opportunities for cooperation, and strengthen the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area.”

    African Green Industries Summit scheduled for September in Swakopmund
  6. April 2026

  7. New Era

    African Continental Free Trade Area provides opportunities for companies to reach wider markets from Namibia

    Source

    “She said infrastructure such as the ports of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, as well as trade agreements like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), provide opportunities for companies to reach wider markets from Namibia.”

    Namibia urges local Chinese investment

  8. New Era

    African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to boost intra-African trade and enhance connectivity

    Source

    “This aligns with broader continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to boost intra-African trade and enhance connectivity.”

    African airlines lead global cargo surge
  9. March 2026

  10. The Namibian

    Duma emphasised the importance of enhancing intra-African trade aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement

    Source

    “Duma emphasised that this must occur within the larger framework of enhancing intra-African trade, aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement and relevant regional agreements.”

    Botswana’s president seeks to strengthen trade relations with Namibia

  11. The Namibian

    African Continental Free Trade Area requires empowering MSMEs and women for unlocking inclusive trade

    Source

    “According to the B20 Africa Special Report, empowering MSMEs and women is essential to unlocking inclusive trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.”

    Standard Bank Invests in Women for Economic Growth
  12. February 2026

  13. The Namibian

    African Continental Free Trade Area is cited as a participation that could cushion impact of external conflict

    Source

    “Some may argue that Namibia's diversified trade relationships, including partnerships within the European Union, the Southern African Customs Union, and its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area would cushion the impact of any external conflict.”

    Namibia Cannot Ignore Rising Tensions Between China and Taiwan

  14. New Era

    African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was signed by Namibia in July 2018

    Source

    “When Namibia signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement in July 2018, ratified it in January 2019, and deposited its instruments with the African Union Commission shortly thereafter, it signalled more than compliance with a continental ambition.”

    Business Editorial – Preferential access to Africa’s free trade not a strategy
Business

Deputy minister urges Namibian entrepreneurs to pursue regional markets

The News

Deputy minister of education Dino Ballotti challenged Namibian entrepreneurs to expand beyond the domestic market of three million people and pursue customers in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa using technology. The article's author, while agreeing with the ambition, questions whether Namibia has the foundational business infrastructure—competitive companies, proper capitalization, technological capability, and consistent delivery—necessary for successful regional expansion.

31 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 31 August

  1. Deputy minister urges Namibian entrepreneurs to pursue regional markets

    Deputy minister of education Dino Ballotti challenged Namibian entrepreneurs to expand beyond the domestic market of three million people and pursue customers in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa using technology. The article's author, while agreeing with the ambition, questions whether Namibia has the foundational business infrastructure—competitive companies, proper capitalization, technological capability, and consistent delivery—necessary for successful regional expansion.

    31 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 28 August

  1. Namibia must move beyond industrialisation rhetoric to action

    An analysis argues that despite decades of political talk about beneficiation, value addition, and manufacturing, Namibia remains dependent on primary commodities and has failed to assemble scattered industrial activity into a coherent industrial economy, requiring instead a reimagined industrial policy linking resources, finance, energy, trade, procurement, skills and markets.

    28 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 27 August

  1. IPC questions government's 500,000 jobs creation plan

    The Independent Patriots for Change has questioned how the government will deliver on its promise to create 500,000 jobs, arguing that jobs require business expansion, factory processing, market access for farmers, and operating investments — not speeches and ceremonies alone. The party highlighted concerns including only nine certificates of origin issued under the African Continental Free Trade Area and rail infrastructure failures, citing TransNamib's last recorded train movement in July 2024.

    27 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 26 August

  1. IPC demands government detail path to create 500,000 jobs

    The Independent Patriots for Change has challenged the government to explain how its economic diplomacy, trade agreements and infrastructure investments will deliver 500,000 jobs promised by President Nandi-Ndaitwah, arguing that jobs require increased business activity and production rather than speeches and memoranda of understanding.

    26 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. Ashipala-Musavyi urges Congo to boost trade and Namibian investment

    The Minister of International Relations called on the Republic of the Congo to increase investment and strengthen economic cooperation, highlighting agricultural and agro-processing value chains, particularly Namibian beef, as key areas for expansion under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

    26 August 2026 · Informanté →

Sunday 23 August

  1. 1,872 applications highlight need to expand Ongwediva Trade Fair Centre

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called for expansion of the Ongwediva Trade Fair Centre after 1,872 businesses applied for exhibition space but only 485 could be accommodated at the 25th Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair.

    23 August 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 17 August

  1. SADC leaders focus on integration, industrialisation at summit

    Southern African Development Community leaders gathered for their 46th Ordinary Summit in eThekwini have prioritised migration management, peace, security, job creation, industrialisation and deeper economic integration. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who assumed the SADC chairship, called for faster implementation of regional development plans, noting that intra-SADC trade accounts for only about one-fifth of the region's total trade and that SADC must process and beneficiate more of its own raw materials rather than exporting them.

    17 August 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 14 August

  1. Creative Industry Institute shifts focus to economic opportunity

    The Creative Industry Institute Africa, a Namibian non-profit established to map and develop the creative sector, wants Namibia's creative industries treated as a source of businesses, jobs, intellectual property and trade rather than merely as culture. The institute works to connect fragmented parts of the creative economy and strengthen the case for investment and development.

    14 August 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Cabinet approves petroleum local content policy framework

    Namibia's Cabinet has approved the National Upstream Petroleum Local Content Policy to promote local participation and development in the upstream petroleum sector, focusing on employment creation, local procurement, enterprise development, technology and skills transfer, and increased Namibian ownership and participation.

    14 August 2026 · The Namibian →

  3. Nandi-Ndaitwah attends SADC summit in Durban

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will attend the 46th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in Durban on 17 August 2026, where regional leaders will deliberate on industrialisation, trade, infrastructure, peace and security, and witness the handover of SADC chairpersonship from Emmerson Mnangagwa to Cyril Ramaphosa.

    14 August 2026 · Informanté →

  4. Namibia's president to attend SADC summit in Durban

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will attend the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Durban, South Africa, on 17 August, hosted by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa. The summit will address regional industrialisation, value chains, intra-regional trade, infrastructure connectivity, and peace and security.

    14 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 11 August

  1. Ugandan investors explore opportunities in Namibia's key sectors

    A delegation of Ugandan investors led by former foreign affairs minister Henry Okello Oryem met with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to discuss investment opportunities in Namibia, targeting the energy, agriculture, ICT, youth empowerment and security sectors with the aim of creating jobs and strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

    11 August 2026 · New Era →

Friday 7 August

  1. Has Africa preserved Samora Machel's vision of struggle?

    An analysis argues that while African nations invoke the slogan "A Luta Continua" ("The Struggle Continues") at celebrations and rallies, they often treat it as ceremonial rhetoric rather than as a philosophy for building prosperous, just, and self-reliant nations—the deeper meaning Samora Machel intended when he warned that defeating colonialism would be easier than creating lasting institutional and economic strength.

    7 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 5 August

  1. Trans-Kalahari Railway moves to implementation after feasibility study

    Namibia and Botswana have completed a feasibility study for the N$264 billion Trans-Kalahari Railway and are now moving toward implementation. The 1,690-kilometre cross-border rail project linking Botswana's coal fields to Namibia's Walvis Bay port is projected to create 10,000 direct jobs in its first phase—6,000 for Batswana and 4,000 for Namibians.

    5 August 2026 · New Era →

Monday 3 August

  1. Meatco stays profitable despite cattle throughput decline of 53%

    The Agriculture Minister said Meatco remained profitable despite droughts and low cattle availability, with throughput south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence declining by 53% to 35,594 cattle. Revenue fell from N$1.865 billion to N$1.108 billion, but the company strengthened its financial position, increased cash reserves, and reduced accumulated losses.

    3 August 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 30 July

  1. Pan-African Parliament urges faster AfCFTA implementation across Africa

    The Pan-African Parliament has called on African countries to accelerate implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, moving beyond ambition to practical steps. The call followed a report on Ghana's progress, and the committee recommended harmonised trade standards, simplified customs procedures, and stronger support for SMEs, women and youth traders.

    30 July 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. PM calls for greater investment in youth-led businesses

    Prime Minister Dr Elijah Ngurare has called for greater investment in youth-led businesses, saying entrepreneurship and support for small enterprises are critical to expanding economic opportunities for young Namibians. He urged financial institutions and established businesses to invest in youth-led enterprises through financing and mentorship.

    30 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 29 July

  1. PM calls for youth skills investment at Eenhana Expo

    Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare urged government, the private sector, and communities to prioritise investment in young people as drivers of Namibia's economic future at the opening of the 16th Eenhana Expo, which is being held from 27 July to 1 August with about 100 local and international exhibitors.

    29 July 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 28 July

  1. Ramaphosa calls for African unity on conflict, migration, trade

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged African countries to strengthen unity, democratic governance and economic cooperation to address armed conflict, climate change, migration challenges and global economic uncertainty. He called on the Pan-African Parliament to uphold democracy and accountability, and identified the African Continental Free Trade Area as key to unlocking the continent's economic potential.

    28 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 21 July

  1. Nandi-Ndaitwah urges Namibia-SA shift to manufacturing and value addition

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for Namibia and South Africa to move beyond their traditional trade relationship—where Namibia exports raw materials and South Africa supplies finished goods—by investing in industrialisation, value addition and regional manufacturing to create jobs and drive economic growth. She highlighted investment opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy, oil and gas, tourism, fisheries, and green hydrogen.

    21 July 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Nandi-Ndaitwah urges Namibia-SA industrialisation over raw material trade

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called for Namibia and South Africa to move beyond their current trade pattern, where Namibia exports raw materials and imports finished goods, toward greater industrialisation, value addition and regional manufacturing to create jobs and drive economic growth. She highlighted investment opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy, oil and gas, tourism, fisheries, transport and logistics.

    21 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 15 July

  1. Zambia invests K4.9 billion to upgrade key Namibia trade corridor

    Zambia has signed contracts worth K4.9 billion (about N$4.3 billion) to rehabilitate the Livingstone-Sesheke Road, a strategic transport corridor linking the country to Namibia through the Trans Caprivi Corridor and Port of Walvis Bay. The project, now in the implementation stage with contractors mobilised to site, is expected to boost regional trade, tourism, and cross-border connectivity.

    15 July 2026 · Informanté →

Sunday 12 July

  1. Lobito Corridor railway project focuses on DRC mineral exports

    The Lobito Corridor railway, linking mineral-rich DRC regions to Angola's port, is a key development focus for Angola, DRC, Zambia and partners including the US, which committed US$200 billion for infrastructure and pledged to mobilise an additional US$600 billion. The DRC's untapped mineral deposits are valued at over US$24 trillion.

    12 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 10 July

  1. President urges Chinese investors to build manufacturing in Namibia

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called on Chinese investors to partner with Namibia in building processing industries and creating jobs, saying the country must move beyond exporting raw minerals towards investment, industrialisation, manufacturing and technology transfer. She said Namibia's mineral deposits including uranium, diamonds, lithium, copper and rare earth minerals must be used to create greater economic benefits for Namibians.

    10 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 9 July

  1. President urges Namibian businesses to pursue China investment opportunities

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called on Namibian businesses to leverage strengthened ties with China to pursue investment, manufacturing, and value-addition opportunities that can create jobs and support economic transformation. Speaking at the Namibia-China Business Forum in Beijing during a state visit, she urged companies to build strategic partnerships with Chinese counterparts and emphasised moving beyond raw material exports to focus on projects generating greater economic value.

    9 July 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Namibia urges Chinese investors to add value, not extract

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told the Namibia-China Business Forum in Beijing that Namibia seeks partnerships focused on processing plants, manufacturing, and technology transfer rather than raw material extraction. She said local beneficiation is a government priority given Namibia's mineral wealth, high unemployment, and poverty, and invited Chinese investment in processing facilities, renewable energy, agriculture, and digital infrastructure.

    9 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 8 July

  1. Namibia records N$1.5bn trade surplus with China in May

    Namibia recorded its largest trade surplus with China in May at N$1.5 billion, placing China ahead of Botswana and Canada as Namibia's most favourable trading partner that month. Despite an overall trade deficit of N$3.1 billion, exports of uranium, fish, gold and diamonds helped cushion rising import costs.

    8 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 6 July

  1. Namibia must ratify AfCFTA digital trade protocol

    An opinion piece argues that Namibia should move decisively to ratify and implement the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade, as Nigeria becomes the first State Party to secure parliamentary approval and Africa's digital economy becomes an immediate economic priority rather than a future aspiration.

    6 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 1 July

  1. More than 100 Namibians seek repatriation from South Africa

    More than 100 Namibians living in South Africa are voluntarily seeking repatriation to Namibia amid rising xenophobic tensions; Namibian authorities are arranging repatriation and verification processes following reports of attacks on foreign nationals.

    1 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 29 June

  1. SACU leaders approve R5 billion regional development fund

    Southern African Customs Union leaders, including President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, have approved establishment of a R5 billion regional development fund to finance cross-border industrial and infrastructure projects across all five member states. The fund will be financed from the SACU Common Revenue Pool during the 2027/28 and 2028/29 financial years.

    29 June 2026 · New Era →

African Continental Free Trade Area — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute