The industrialisation agenda in Namibia
The Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) was established through Act 16 of 2016 to drive industrial, agribusiness and business infrastructure development and attract investment in Namibia. NIDA focuses on Namibia's industrialisation by promoting public investment, trade facilitation, and strategic projects aligned with the government's industrial and rural development strategies.NIDA is mandated to implement business incentives for industrialization and foster partnerships across government, private sectors, and stakeholders. It promotes Namibia's export processing zones, economic zones, and export-driven industrial growth, while also researching new value addition opportunities and managing investments on behalf of the government.
A key investment is the expansion of irrigation at Naute, near the Naute Dam, focusing on dates, table grapes, pomegranates, and more. This project includes a packaging facility, storage, and staff housing. In the Kunene region, NIDA is expanding date production and exploring agribusiness opportunities, cash crops, tourism, and hospitality at Eersbegin.
NIDA also seeks investors for feedlot development and fodder cultivation at the Kavango Cattle Ranch in Kavango West, with potential biomass production. In Kavango East, an agri-business project at Divundu and green schemes at Musese and Shitemo are expected to create significant employment opportunities.
Furthermore, a cold storage facility in Walvis Bay and the completion of the Manyeha Crocodile Farm at Kongola are being developed, combining agri-business, tourism, and commercial opportunities.
Strategic partnerships
To support value addition, manufacturing, and processing, NIDA has acquired industrial and agri-business land for further development in strategic partnerships across various regions. The agency has allocated land in towns such as Tsumeb, Otavi, Walvis Bay, Karibib, and in Windhoek to boost employment, reduce poverty, enhance livelihoods, promote import substitution, and encourage manufacturing.
NIDA's focus in the coming years will be on planning and developing Special Economic Zone (SEZ) industrial parks and logistics centres to establish viable production units led by the private sector. NIDA is committed to engaging with communities and executing its mandate transparently.
NIDA’s industrialisation agenda is built around five key initiatives: Youth Empowerment & Employment Creation, Entrepreneurship Development, Investment Facilitation & Attraction, Export-Oriented Industrial Growth, and Import Substitution. These initiatives align with NIDA's vision, “Geared Towards Growing Sustainable Industries,” and aim to catalyze Namibia's industrialization and socio-economic transformation.
* Richwell Lukonga is the chief executive of NIDA.
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