The Chief Executive Officer of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), Mbahupu H. Tjivikua, has called for increased investment in Namibia’s logistics and infrastructure sectors, as the country strengthens its position as a key trade hub in southern Africa.
Speaking this week, Tjivikua said Namibia has made significant progress since the early 1990s, when it functioned primarily as a fishing port, to now handling over 2.4 million tonnes of cargo annually. He noted that growing trade from neighbouring countries such as Zambia and Botswana is driving this expansion.
“We were just merely a fishing port, but we have evolved. There are investment opportunities that are coming up with various goods and cargo. For example, we have not been handling any fertiliser for the neighbouring countries, so we have to set up fertiliser warehousing,†he said.
Tjivikua stressed the need for urgent private and public sector investment in fuel storage facilities, fertiliser warehouses, and air cargo logistics to support rising regional demand.
“We need infrastructure such as the silos for grain when we are importing them. We need cold storage facilities to expand our capacity. We want to import chicken and beef from Brazil. These are big numbers, but our storage capacities are limited,†he said.
He also pointed to the gaps in agro-logistics and dry port facilities that Namibia must address to remain competitive and meet the increasing needs of the region’s import and export markets.
Highlighting Namibia’s competitive edge, Tjivikua said the country boasts the best road infrastructure in the region, as well as a modernised port at Walvis Bay, which now includes a recently developed container terminal.
“In Namibia, we are ranked number one in terms of road infrastructure. We also have a modern, state-of-the-art port and recently developed a new container terminal. The infrastructure that we develop in Namibia is not only for Namibia but for SADC,†he said.
Tjivikua urged investors to explore opportunities in transport, agriculture, and manufacturing, emphasising that Namibia’s growing logistics sector can support broader industrial diversification.
“We are ready to engage and to support the various industries because it’s not only about the transport sector. We support various other industries, such as agriculture and manufacturing,†he said.
The Walvis Bay Corridor Group plays a leading role in promoting Namibia as a logistics gateway, offering transport routes that link the country’s ports to markets in the region, particularly landlocked neighbours.
