Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Namibia Investment and Finance Academy have signed a Memorandum of Agreement aimed at addressing fragmented MSME support systems and strengthening structured pathways into formal markets.
Speaking at the signing, Arinze Okafor said the collaboration is a practical response to the challenges facing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly limited access to investment, markets and integrated supply chains.
He said the initiative will focus on three key areas: MSME investment readiness, improved market access and stronger supply chain integration across both the private and public sectors.
“But the three things that I think, especially us as NIFA, together with the chamber, want to be held accountable for is, number one being MSME investment readiness. And I deliberately do not focus on capacity building because I think it’s necessary. There’s a lot of training initiatives, but ultimately we need to focus on the end goal, which is for SMEs to be investment ready. Secondly, it’s market access and supply chain integration,” he said.
Okafor said the partnership reflects a shift away from visibility-driven engagements towards implementation-focused cooperation aimed at delivering tangible results.
“But fundamentally, today is just about how we practicalise partnerships. In this era where there is so much focus on visibility, it is important that we focus on tangible outcomes. That’s what we really want to achieve together with the Chamber,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Titus Nampala said the agreement responds directly to the challenge of MSMEs operating without structured pathways into formal markets and sustainable growth opportunities.
He said the collaboration represents a deliberate shift from fragmented support towards coordinated, measurable and scalable interventions aimed at driving long-term enterprise development.
“For us at the NCCI, this partnership aligns directly with our mandate as the voice of the private sector and business community,” Nampala said.
