Windhoek: The Namibia Impact Assessment report for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa (AIDA) revealed a pathway to unlock nearly US.dollars 816 million for African markets. The report, launched on Thursday, also indicates that Africa could access approximately US.dollars 4 billion in global exports by 2030.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Michael Humavindu, executive director in the National Planning Commission (NPC) and Namibia's focal point for the report's development, said the report represents a significant step towards enhancing evidence-based policymaking and regional economic integration. The initiative is a collaboration between the Namibian government, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Union Commission, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Humavindu emphasised Namibia's strategic position to leverage AfCFTA, highlighting an estimated US.dollars 816 million in unrealised export potential within Africa and nearly US.dollars 4 billion globally by 2030, particularly in sectors where Namibia excels, such as mining, fisheries, and agro-processing. "Perhaps the most important finding of the assessment is that Namibia's AfCFTA opportunity is not primarily about producing new products but about capturing greater value from sectors where we already possess established capabilities and regional market linkages. Our priority now is to build on these strengths through greater value addition, beneficiation, and competitiveness," he said.
Humavindu noted that the assessment in the mining sector revealed opportunities to enhance beneficiation and increase Namibia's involvement in higher-value regional mineral value chains. In fisheries, he emphasised the potential to deepen regional market penetration and reinforce Namibia's reputation as a reliable supplier of processed fish products. The assessment also identified opportunities for value addition and greater participation in regional value chains to meet the rising demand in Africa.
"The time for debate is over; immediate action is required," he said. To transform Namibia's AfCFTA potential into tangible economic growth, Humavindu identified key action pillars such as boosting local processing in mining and fisheries to retain value within Namibia; streamlining trade corridors and border processes for enhanced efficiency; and integrating digital systems to facilitate market access and improve small business competitiveness through targeted skills and investment.