INDUSTRIES

A BROAD SPECTRUM OF OPPORTUNITIES

The primary pillars of Namibia’s economy include mining, fishing, agriculture and tourism. New future-oriented sectors, such as manufacturing, machinery, construction and finance, are growing at a rapid pace. In addition to Namibia’s traditional focus on exports to western Europe and the USA, its new alignment toward the regional markets in southern Africa harbours immense potential for all segments of the country’s economy.

Namibia offers optimal conditions for companies looking to invest and grow. The country’s government supports the modernisation of existing industries through tax and financial incentives, placing particular emphasis on economic diversification. These funding tools also benefit foreign companies that plan to establish new production facilities in Namibia or use the country as a jumping-off point for trade with southern Africa.

TOURISM

A LUCRATIVE HOLIDAY DESTINATION
300 sunny days per year, diverse flora and fauna, and a vibrant culture are the factors attract nearly one million tourists to Namibia annually. Of all of the country’s economic sectors, tourism is growing the fastest. However, the promotion of mass tourism is not Namibia’s ultimate goal; rather, the country is cultivating upscale, environmentally friendly alternatives for holidaymakers.
The potential for tourism will soon be tapped in further regions around the country. For companies, the tourism sector offers countless opportunities for investment, such as in the construction and furnishing of luxurious lodges and Namibia’s typical ‘guest farms’. There is also significant demand for car rental companies, restaurants, sport and recreation facilities, and conference centres. The World Travel & Tourism Council predicts that Namibia will be among the 10 countries in the world whose tourism sectors will expand the fastest in coming years.

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

SETTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS
International studies attest to the fact that Namibia has one of the best transport infrastructure systems south of the Sahara. The country’s two important ports, Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, are connected to a system of asphalt roads and railway lines known as the Walvis Bay Corridors. These corridors direct the flow of goods inland from the coast, and then onward to neighbouring countries via the most direct routes possible. In this way, containers from the Port of Walvis Bay can travel to the industrial region of Gauteng in South Africa in just 48 hours, for instance. In practice, the Walvis Bay Corridors comprise a large regional market of approximately 300 million people.

The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), a public-private partnership established in 2000, handles the logistics necessary for the efficient transport of goods. The organisation coordinates all transport routes throughout the Walvis Bay Corridors, standardises tariffs and guarantees that the required transport capacity is available. Port authorities, government agencies, haulage companies, railways and trade unions work hand-in-hand as part of the WBCG, providing suppliers and recipients with a central point of contact for any issues they may have. Currently, the Port of Walvis Bay is being expanded to include additional anchorage points and a new container terminal, which will increase the port’s cargo turnover capacity to 1.1 million TEU. The harbour’s premises will be expanded by 40 hectares, and the harbour basin will be made 14.4 metres deeper. Building on its successes, Namibia plans to carry out further infrastructure projects – and investors are encouraged to join in the process.

AGRICULTURE

HARVESTING THE FRUITS OF PROGRESS
Namibia’s agriculture industry is export-oriented and still employs more people in the country than any other sector. Livestock farming dominates the field: The focus is on meat, dairy products, cow hides and pelts, sheep, and goats. The cultivation of fruit and vegetables is growing increasingly important; one prerequisite for creating additional areas cultivable land is constant artificial irrigation. To that end, the Namibian government launched the ‘Green Scheme’ initiative in 2003, which establishes a basis for converting a total area of 27,000 hectares into premium cultivable land.

Local, high-yield agricultural value creation forms the foundation for feeding the country’s population and producing profitable exports. For this reason, Namibia’s government hopes to attract investors to its agricultural sector with corresponding partnerships and joint ventures, as well as an increased transfer of knowledge and technology.

INDUSTRY

SHAPING THE FUTURE WITH PRODUCTIVE IDEAS
Namibia is one of the most resource-rich countries in Africa, with substantial reserves of strategic raw materials and minerals. The country’s goal is to process these raw materials locally to the greatest extent possible in order to increase local value creation. In addition to minerals, items such as fish, agricultural products, and indigenous plants used in the food and cosmetics industries are well suited for industrial processing. Namibia is also pushing ahead with the development of future-oriented industries; currently, the country is exploring a diverse range of new sectors, including machinery and cement manufacturing. The government provides numerous tax and financial incentives to support economic diversification – and these incentives also benefit foreign companies planning to establish a foothold in Namibia. For investors, conditions couldn’t be better.

Automotive

Namibia – The New Manufacturing, Testing and Export Platform for Automotive Companies Serving the Dynamic Southern African and International Markets

Located within Africa’s leading automotive region and situated on the Atlantic shore of southern Africa, Namibia has caught the eye of investors from the automotive industry and continues to attract attention. Automotive companies find optimal and cost-effective conditions to set up their operations, establishing Namibia not only as a top location for automotive testing, but also as a promising new manufacturing and export platform.

Regional network of OEMs and automotive suppliers

Namibia is integrated into the dynamic regional network consisting of about 20 OEMs and more than 360 automotive component suppliers and specialized service providers. A growing Namibian supplier base is producing metal parts and off-road equipment, exporting, for example, components to OEMs in Europe and meeting the strong demand of the regional off-road market.

Dedicated automotive park

Automotive companies can start their operations in Namibia without delay by leasing modern production facilities at, for instance, the !Nara Namib Industrial Estate. Located in Walvis Bay, the brand new estate is part of Namibia’s broad portfolio of production facilities available to the automotive sector and can be customized to fit specific production processes.

Optimal conditions for automotive testing

Namibia is becoming a preferred location for automotive testing in hot, dry and sunny conditions. Low population and traffic density combined with excellent infrastructure are allowing OEMs to accumulate mileage safely and quickly at low visibility.