The Ministry of Works and Transport has launched a procurement initiative aimed at expanding Namibia’s manufacturing capacity by prioritising locally produced goods through government stores.
The Government Stores Local Manufacturers Registration Initiative follows Cabinet directives issued in July 2025 and is aligned with the job creation and industrialisation targets set under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).
Under the directive, all Offices, Ministries and Agencies (OMAs), state-owned enterprises, local authorities and regional councils will be required to procure standard items through government stores, with a growing share sourced from local manufacturers.
Deputy Director of Centralised Services at the ministry, Connie Campbell, said the process began with an expression of interest issued in December last year, inviting manufacturers to register on an eligibility list for preferential procurement.
“The Ministry of Works, through government stores, advertised an expression of interest where companies and manufacturers were requested to register themselves on an eligibility list to be considered for preferential procurement through restrictive bidding,” Campbell said.
She said the eligibility list is intended to establish a national database of manufacturing capacity, allowing government to better align procurement with local production.
Manufacturers are required to submit documentation including a company profile, details of key personnel, Affirmative Action certification, SME registration, social security compliance, proof of premises and evidence of previous contracts, along with product brochures.
Campbell said registration does not automatically guarantee qualification, with site inspections to be conducted to verify operational capacity.
“Once we have verified the operations, applicants will be informed whether they have qualified or not,” she said.
The initiative introduces restrictive bidding, allowing registered manufacturers to compete among themselves for certain tenders, a move government says will correct imbalances in the current procurement system.
“Currently, the procurement process has not been favourable to local manufacturers. This is about creating a level playing field where they can compete among themselves,” Campbell said.
However, officials acknowledged that not all goods can be sourced locally. Control Administrative Officer at government stores, Agnes Shoopala, said items that cannot be produced domestically will remain open to standard national bidding processes.
“There are items that cannot be manufactured within the country, and these will continue to be procured through open national bidding where all suppliers can compete,” Shoopala said.
She added that even registered manufacturers will still be required to undergo full evaluation, including submitting product samples to ensure compliance with required standards.
“After registration, manufacturers will still go through a bidding process. They will compete among themselves and be evaluated, including the submission of samples to ensure the products meet demand,” she said.
Government stores currently manage more than 11,000 items across six warehouses nationwide, including cleaning materials, hardware, furniture, uniforms, educational supplies and official documentation.
The ministry said the registration process remains open-ended, with no closing date set, as government seeks to continuously expand its database of local manufacturers.
Officials have also encouraged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of available funding mechanisms to establish manufacturing businesses and participate in the initiative.
