Namibia showcases trade potential at Intra-African Trade Fair

Vice President Lucia Witbooi recently led a delegation to the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025), hosted in Algiers, Algeria, by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.

The trade fair brought together businesses, policymakers and investors from across the continent, offering a platform to explore opportunities within the AfCFTA, which unites a market of more than 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP exceeding US$3.5 trillion. The event was particularly significant, as it provided exposure to new markets and facilitated networking with potential partners.

Witbooi has reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to advancing Africa’s economic transformation through the AfCFTA. She made the remarks at the Presidential Roundtable on “Establishing Africa as an Economic Powerhouse under the AfCFTA”.

Commending Algeria and the AU for convening the dialogue, Witbooi emphasised that Africa must act decisively to industrialise, increase intra-African trade and take ownership of its development. She noted Namibia’s early participation in the AfCFTA, citing the country’s first shipment of 45,000 tonnes of salt to Nigeria and Cameroon in June as a milestone for continental trade. “Namibia believes that our continent’s vast wealth should be harnessed responsibly for the benefit of present and future generations,” said Witbooi.

Growth opportunities under AfCFTA

The vice president further highlighted Namibia’s experience in sustainable natural resource management, pointing to successes in community-based conservation, fisheries and value addition in mining. She stressed the importance of balancing growth with conservation and underscored Namibia’s investments in renewable energy and green hydrogen as a new frontier for sustainable development.

“Looking ahead, Namibia is investing in renewable energy and green hydrogen as a new frontier for sustainable development, reinforcing our commitment to balancing growth with conservation,” she added. On regional cooperation, Witbooi called for stronger value chains within Southern Africa in mining, agriculture and energy, backed by coordinated investment in infrastructure and logistics. She pointed to Namibia’s Walvis Bay port and transport corridors as strategic assets for boosting regional trade.

Describing the AfCFTA as a “game-changer”, she said the agreement offers opportunities for industrialisation, particularly for small businesses, women and youth entrepreneurs. However, she urged African nations to tackle non-tariff barriers, harmonise standards and strengthen rules of origin to promote manufacturing and value addition on the continent.

Witbooi said, “Namibia stands ready to work with the entire continent to ensure our natural resources are managed sustainably, our regional value chains are strengthened and the AfCFTA becomes a vehicle for shared prosperity. The future we envision is one where our raw materials are processed in our factories, create African jobs and generate African wealth.”

Nigeria has secured the hosting rights for the fifth edition of the IATF, scheduled for 2027. The announcement was made by former Nigerian president and chairperson of the IATF Advisory Council, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Nigeria will become the fourth country to host the continental trade showcase, following Egypt – host of the inaugural edition in 2018 and again in 2023 – and South Africa, which hosted the 2021 edition.

Since its inception, the IATF has attracted more than 70,000 visitors and 4,500 exhibitors, generating trade and investment deals valued at over US$118 billion across its last three editions.

Maggie Forcelledo Paz