Namibia’s Small Enterprises Receive Boost from German Support

WINDHOEK: The Namibian Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade has recently received a significant donation of equipment valued at N.dollars 3.5 million from the German government through the GIZ development and cooperation agency. This contribution, aimed at bolstering small business activities in Namibia, included eight vehicles, industrial machinery such as an industrial rotary cutter, dye sublimation printer, industrial iron, 3D printers, laptops, and various types of printers and office chairs. Lucia Iipumbu, the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, gratefully received the donation on Thursday.

Minister Iipumbu expressed her appreciation for the German government’s commitment to fostering economic growth and innovation in Namibia. She emphasized the importance of this equipment in strengthening the startup ecosystem and supporting enterprise development, contributing significantly to the nation’s overall development. The StartUp Namibia project, a collaborative initiative between the governments of Namibia and Germany, implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology Innovation, and the City of Windhoek, concluded its three-year run at the end of 2022. Iipumbu noted the project’s critical role in enhancing the conditions for over 150 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in selected regions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the project supported 600 MSMEs, particularly in the informal sector, through grant funding, which was instrumental in keeping many businesses afloat. The minister also lauded the efforts and fore
sight of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, the German Embassy, and GIZ for their collaboration and support, particularly through the startup programme during the pandemic.