Pepkor targets N$40 million in Namibian manufacturing procurement

Pepkor is hosting a two-day Manufacturing Summit in Windhoek to strengthen Namibia's manufacturing ecosystem and facilitate local supplier development. The initiative follows conditions set by the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) regarding Pepkor’s acquisition of the Legit, Style, and Swagga/Beaver Canoe businesses.

As part of this commitment, Pepkor aims to place N$40 million in procurement orders with Namibian manufacturers over the next three years. The group is targeting local producers in the clothing, footwear, and homeware segments. Tyrone Vera, CEO of Pepkor’s Emerging Business Units Portfolio, indicated that the company is considering co-investing in local manufacturers to help them build the capacity and standards required to meet Pepkor’s volume needs.

Specific areas of interest include leather manufacturing for furniture and footwear, as well as schoolware. The summit aims to connect local entrepreneurs and SMEs with Pepkor buyers to improve productivity and quality standards, ensuring Namibian businesses can compete within large retail supply chains.