Patience Makwele
Economic analyst Albert Matengu says Namibia’s small domestic market and high production costs continue to limit competitiveness.
He said this is making it difficult to build a strong production-based economy.
“Industrialisation is not an event; it’s a process. You need energy, logistics, skills and access to markets. Without that ecosystem, value addition remains aspirational,” he said on Sunday in reflection of talks from Independence Day celebrations countrywide.
He said Namibia has long identified value addition as a priority, but progress has been slow due to structural constraints. He added that regional integration and export-focused strategies will be key.
On Saturday, speaker of the National Assembly Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila raised similar concerns during Namibia’s 36th Independence celebrations in Kavango West, where she called for a shift from consumption to production.
“For 36 years, we have managed our politics well,” she said. “Now we must manage our economy better.”
She said Namibia can no longer rely on exporting raw materials while importing finished goods. She called for more local production and value addition across sectors.
“We must stop exporting raw materials and importing expensive finished goods,” she said.
“Our timber must become furniture here. Our cattle must be processed here. Our crops must be packaged here.”
She said agriculture can drive this shift, especially in regions like Kavango West. She pointed to irrigation projects and mechanisation as ways to increase output and improve food security.
She also highlighted sectors such as energy and oil as areas for growth. She said the country must prepare its workforce to benefit from these opportunities.
“We must prepare our youth with skills so that when investors come, they hire Namibians, not foreigners,” she said.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said Namibia’s stability and institutions provide a base for economic growth.
“This is the reason we have had 36 years of stability while many other countries have faltered,” she said.
She said the country must now focus on turning that stability into economic results.
“The freedom we celebrate today is not the end of the journey. It is the platform from which we must rise to greater heights.”
Business leaders say challenges remain. A Windhoek-based manufacturing entrepreneur said access to finance, regulatory hurdles and high input costs continue to slow growth.
“Everyone agrees on value addition, but the cost of doing business is still too high,” the entrepreneur said.
“If local industries are to compete, those constraints must be addressed.”
Micro, small and medium enterprises are expected to play a key role in job creation, but they need better support and access to markets.
