Swakopmund: Namibia's recent reforms to its fertiliser transit regime are aimed at creating opportunities for local employment, skills development and value-added logistics services, while strengthening the country's position as a regional gateway for agricultural inputs. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani, said the measures now allow activities such as the handling and repackaging of fertiliser into one-tonne bulk bags, following a review of the regulatory framework governing fertiliser transit through Namibia in December 2025.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Zaamwani made the remarks in a speech delivered on her behalf at the opening of the Africa Fertiliser Club Conference in Swakopmund on Tuesday. She said the review, undertaken in consultation with industry stakeholders, logistics operators and corridor partners, resulted in re-engineered technical processes that eased restrictions on in-transit fertiliser movements, while maintaining safeguards for public health, environmental protection and regulatory compliance.
Zaamwani cautioned that the reforms are transitional and that long-term sustainability will require continued investment in transit infrastructure, storage facilities, handling capacity and compliance systems. She said the process reaffirms Namibia's commitment to supporting regional agricultural supply chains and preserving the efficiency and reliability of the Walvis Bay Corridors as trusted trade routes for fertiliser imports destined for regional markets.
AFRIQOM Chief Executive Officer, Mounir Halim, noted that the organisation chose Namibia to host this year's conference due to the growing strategic importance of the Walvis Bay Corridor in regional fertiliser trade. AFRIQOM is an Africa-focused commodity market intelligence and networking platform that promotes transparency, trade and investment across agricultural input markets.
Halim mentioned that the organisation has observed increasing volumes of fertiliser imports moving through Walvis Bay, as producers, traders and importers seek alternatives to more congested regional ports. He described Walvis Bay as a modern, efficient and professional port, adding that delegates who toured the facility were impressed by its infrastructure and operations.
'The corridor is increasingly being chosen by producers and traders to serve land-linked countries in Southern and Central Africa,' he said. The Africa Fertiliser Club Conference attracted policymakers, regulators, logistics operators, fertiliser suppliers, investors and corridor institutions from across Africa and beyond to explore opportunities for strengthening fertiliser trade, logistics and agricultural development on the continent.