The Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Walda Natangwe Ndevashiya, has called for deeper economic collaboration between Namibia and Nigeria, urging businesses from both countries to leverage opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The High Commissioner made the call during a Namibia–Nigeria Trade and Investment Breakfast Meeting yesterday in Abuja, organized by the Organisation of Women in International Trade (OWIT) with the theme: "Positioning Namibia as an Investment Destination: Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities for Namibian and Nigerian Businesses under AfCFTA."
The breakfast meeting, organized alongside partners including Hope Raisers Global Foundation, Havilla Naturelle, and Royal Haven Logistics, also unveiled plans to embark on a trade mission to Namibia in July.
According to the High Commissioner, Namibia's development agenda under President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah prioritizes trade and investment as central pillars of national growth. He stated that the country has identified seven priority sectors to drive socio-economic transformation, including agriculture, youth empowerment, education, creative industries, health, sports development, and housing.
He added that Namibia is also focusing on strategic economic enablers such as energy, mining, tourism, infrastructure, and financial sector development to attract investment and diversify its economy.
The envoy highlighted Namibia's emerging potential in the oil and gas sector, citing recent discoveries and ongoing efforts to strengthen regulatory frameworks through the proposed Petroleum Exploration and Production Amendment Bill 2025. He noted that the legislation aims to enhance local participation, promote skills development and technology transfer, and ensure that resource exploitation translates into tangible socio-economic benefits.
The High Commissioner said Namibia is keen to learn from Nigeria's experience in the petroleum sector, particularly in local content development and institutional frameworks. He reaffirmed the mission's commitment to facilitating partnerships between Namibian and Nigerian businesses in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, logistics, and the creative economy.
The President of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) Nigeria, Blessing Irabor-Oza, in her remarks stated that the collaboration between the Namibia High Commission and the organization reflects a shared commitment to strengthening economic ties and fostering practical pathways for trade and investment between Nigeria and Namibia.
She noted that OWIT Nigeria is focused on promoting inclusive trade by supporting women and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to access markets, build partnerships, and participate more actively in regional and global value chains.
Irabor-Oza stressed the need to move beyond identifying opportunities to actively building partnerships that deliver tangible outcomes. In line with this, she announced that OWIT Nigeria, in collaboration with Nizoma International, plans to lead a high-level trade delegation to Namibia from July 12 to 18, 2026.
According to her, the initiative is designed to provide businesses with direct market access, facilitate partnerships, and translate discussions into concrete results. She also called for collaboration among institutions and stakeholders present at the event, urging participants to take full advantage of the platform to engage, connect, and explore opportunities that could lead to meaningful partnerships.
