Namibia's President urges local firms to prepare for new content policy

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on Namibian businesses to enhance their production and technical capacities in anticipation of the government’s upcoming local-content policy. Speaking at the opening of the Swakopmund International Trade Expo (SWAiTEX), she emphasized the need for domestic companies to supply goods and services to emerging sectors, including oil and gas, renewable energy, green hydrogen, and rare earth minerals.

The President noted that the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) prioritizes economic diversification and industrial development to reduce the nation's reliance on raw-material exports. By focusing on local processing, manufacturing, and value addition, the government aims to increase domestic production and create employment opportunities.

Nandi-Ndaitwah also highlighted Namibia’s strategic geographic advantages, citing the Port of Walvis Bay and various transport corridors—such as the Trans-Kalahari, Trans-Caprivi, and Trans-Cunene—as vital gateways for connecting local producers and neighboring landlocked economies to international markets.