The Minister of Trade and Industrialisation Lucia Iipumbu has urged the business community to promote investment opportunities at home and internationally through trade.

Ipumbu says as the custodian of business development in the country, the ministry will continue to look at different avenues to assist businesses to develop and grow.

During this financial year, the ministry plans to roll out the limited support programme and facilities aimed at assisting the SME sector to grow.

The programme will kick off with the training of young entrepreneurs.

"We are launching this programme on Monday the 8th of May,  I was delighted to hear one of our councillors inviting especially the youth to go and take up the forms to register to partake, we announced a month ago that at this interval we are ready to train at about 1400 young entrepreneurs, start-ups and those that are on SMEs space as we are rolling out on Monday we expect a number of 700 participants in this training activities."

The ministry also revived its equipment aid scheme programme, to acquire manufacturing equipment needed to increase production capacity.

"Notwithstanding the fact that our industrialised country is a result of ensuring that the solid manufacturing base is in place, I will invite you when we are to roll out this for you to apply, please continue to watch the space in terms of the media and continue to visit your councillors office for we will share this information with them."

The industrial upgrade modernisation programme will also be rolled out, as is the sustainable development goal facility.

"I am saying this because we have seen a low uptake, especially from the Oshana Region in terms of those that want to register themselves to benefit from these programs."