Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) chief executive officer Abraham Nehemia says the company is reviewing its procurement system to create more opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the sector.
He made the remarks during an engagement with northern-based SME owners.
The discussions aimed to build a shared understanding of NamWater’s procurement processes while aligning with the public procurement act and the country’s socio-economic goals, including SME empowerment, job creation, and infrastructure development.
Nehemia said procurement is not just about transactions but plays a key role in service delivery, institutional trust, and national progress.
He said it enables NamWater to fulfil its mandate of supplying safe, clean water to municipalities, industries, and rural communities.
This includes planning, constructing, and maintaining water infrastructure such as dams, pipelines, and treatment plants, upholding water quality standards, and ensuring swift responses during droughts or other emergencies.
“SMEs are drivers of innovation and inclusive growth. We are working to create more opportunities for them, through reserved procurement categories, subcontracting quotas, capacity building, and accelerated payments. NamWater is actively reviewing its internal procurement policy to align with the Public Procurement Act and ensure effective implementation that benefits Namibian SMEs,” he said.
He said NamWater offers procurement opportunities suited for local SMEs, including small civil works like pipeline and reservoir construction, pump stations, mechanical and electrical maintenance, material supply, construction of access roads and fencing, and non-consultancy services such as cleaning, security, and logistics.
Nehemia acknowledged challenges SMEs face, such as limited financing and technical gaps in handling complex projects.
“These are real challenges, and we have experienced delay in some of our projects due to these challenges. We aim to contribute to addressing them together, through targeted policy interventions,” he said.
He said NamWater’s internal policy review aims to promote SME inclusion by reserving specific procurement categories for SMEs, introducing subcontracting quotas for large projects, ensuring timely payments to support SME cash flow, tracking SME performance, and holding regular engagement forums.
