Namibia has officially launched its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with the departure of its first export consignment from the Port of Walvis Bay, marking a significant step in Africa’s economic integration journey.
Speaking at the launch, Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade, Hon. Amb. Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, described the milestone as a bold move toward unlocking shared prosperity across the continent. “The AfCFTA is more than an agreement it’s a pathway to Africa’s economic unity and industrial strength,” she noted.
The AfCFTA, which opens access to a market of over 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of $3 trillion, offers Namibia opportunities in goods and services, including finance and professional sectors. It also introduces critical frameworks like the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, adopted in 2024, to promote inclusive growth.
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Namibia’s entry is expected to spur economic diversification, encourage domestic production, and expand its footprint across regional value chains. With this launch, the government is urging businesses, especially MSMEs, to scale operations, explore intra-African opportunities, and drive innovation in key sectors.
Officials emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration to track trade performance, implement manufacturing incentives, and localize supply chains. These moves, they say, will fortify national resilience, reduce external market dependency, and support structural transformation.
Namibia’s ratification of the AfCFTA and the December 2024 gazetting of its tariff schedule set the groundwork for today’s historic export. The country now looks to its private sector to lead this next chapter of economic integration.
