Namibia is pushing for green industrialisation to drive economic growth, create jobs and reduce the country’s dependence on exporting raw materials.

A two-day Manufacturing Summit hosted by Pepkor Holdings in collaboration with the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) is underway in Windhoek.

Pepkor is a South African investment and holding company focused on discount and value consumer retail and fintech markets.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the SADC region has prioritised critical industrial sectors to curb heavy import reliance and maximise finished product exports. 

NamWater is driving negotiations to establish local manufacturing of large-diameter water pipes, reducing reliance on imports from China and Europe.

Namibia is one of the six SADC countries, which have since developed the National Leather Strategic Work Plans as the region trudges towards implementation of the regional leather framework.  

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for a fundamental shift in mindset among Namibians, stressing that mental transformation must go hand in hand with economic reform if the country is to achieve sustainable development.

Namibia and Brazil are set to explore new areas of cooperation, with an emphasis on agriculture and manufacturing, as well as oil and gas.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services has established a Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) manufacturing facility in Swakopmund.

The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy (MIME) has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Namibia's industrial development, noting progress on key national programmes and outlining new measures aimed at boosting investment, manufacturing capacity and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) growth. 

China's Ambassador to Namibia, Zhao Weiping, said Beijing supports Namibia's efforts to develop its manufacturing sector and increase local value addition.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Zhao noted that Chinese investments do not only focus on resource extraction.