Windhoek: The Ministry of Finance has encouraged Namibian businesses to familiarise themselves with the Code of Good Practice on Preferences to maximise opportunities available through government procurement.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Deputy Director for Legal Support and Compliance, Amalia Shikongo, highlighted the significant opportunities the code presents for local enterprises, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), women-owned businesses, youth-owned enterprises, and local manufacturers, to secure government contracts. "The Code of Good Practice presents an excellent opportunity for our local businesses to participate in public procurement, but its success depends on how ready they are to seize that opportunity," she stated at the Government Information Centre in Windhoek.

Shikongo explained that the code, issued under the Public Procurement Act of 2025, provides a uniform framework enabling public entities to grant preferential treatment to qualifying Namibian businesses during government procurement processes. The framework is designed to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, developing skills, strengthening local industries, and ensuring that a greater share of government expenditure remains within the country.

"Enterprises, especially women-owned and youth-owned SMEs and manufacturers, should position themselves to take advantage of this opportunity and compete for government procurement contracts," she emphasized. Shikongo, however, stressed that the preference system does not exempt businesses from meeting procurement requirements. "They should also invest in quality, innovation, compliance, and operational capacity. The objective is not to create dependence on preferences, but to build resilient, competitive, and sustainable businesses that can compete with regional and global firms," she added.

Shikongo further emphasised that the government would not compromise on quality when awarding contracts. "There is no compromise on quality. Businesses are still expected to meet the required standards in order to supply goods and services to government," she said. She also urged businesses to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the Code of Good Practice on Preferences and regularly monitor procurement opportunities reserved for qualifying Namibian enterprises.