By Kaundjire Humbu
Namibian businesses have been urged to ramp up production, invest in local processing and meet international export standards to seize a duty-free gateway into China’s vast consumer market under a zero-tariff initiative running from 1 May to 30 April 2028.
The initiative covers Namibia and 19 other African countries, opening a window of opportunity for agricultural producers, manufacturers and mineral processors to expand exports to China.
The initiative does not open the door on tariffs alone, as businesses must also meet import requirements and prove they can supply the market consistently.
Speaking at the China-Africa Cooperation symposium in Windhoek recently, international relations and trade minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi said the initiative could attract investment into domestic manufacturing and processing, diversify Namibia’s exports and create employment.
“Preferential market access enhances the investment case for establishing manufacturing and processing facilities in Namibia,” Ashipala-Musavyi said.
She identified light manufacturing, agro-processing, green energy and mineral beneficiation as areas where joint ventures could strengthen local production, transfer skills and build industrial capacity.
However, the minister cautioned that duty-free access alone would not guarantee commercial success.
Namibian exporters would still have to clear non-tariff hurdles before their products could compete effectively in the Chinese market.
“However, tariff-free access must be matched by overcoming non-tariff barriers.”
She said exporters would need to comply with rules of origin, quality, packaging and phytosanitary standards while ensuring consistent supply and timely delivery.
Ashipala-Musavyi cited the phytosanitary protocol for exporting Namibian table grapes to China, agreed in July 2026, as an example of how diplomatic engagement could create commercial opportunities.
She said Namibia should build on this progress by pursuing opportunities in processed foods, meat and fisheries.
Beyond agriculture, Ashipala-Musavyi said Namibia was seeking Chinese investment in manufacturing, energy and mineral processing, particularly in uranium, lithium and rare earths.
She said developing domestic processing and technical capacity could help Namibia capture more value from its natural resources, create skilled jobs and give local businesses a stronger foothold in supply chains.
Ashipala-Musavyi said these priorities aligned with Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan, which emphasises industrialisation, local value addition and job creation.
She added that government entities and the private sector needed to work together to help exporters meet standards, prepare documentation, arrange logistics and establish links with buyers.
“Government entities and the private sector must collaborate to support exporters with standards compliance, documentation, logistics, and buyer linkage,” Ashipala-Musavyi.
She also said Namibia’s economic relationship with China had gained momentum following President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s state visit to China in July 2026, during which the two countries elevated their relations to a China-Namibia community with a shared future for the new era.
Cooperation priorities include agriculture, green minerals, technical and vocational education and training, health and technology.
Chinese ambassador to Namibia Zhao Weiping said the zero-tariff initiative was intended to expand trade in the short term while encouraging Chinese companies to invest and operate in African countries over the longer term.
“In the near term, this policy will certainly help expand Africa’s export to China. It’s even more meaningful in the medium and long term, since more Chinese companies will be encouraged by this policy to invest and operate in Africa,” Zhao said.
He said China-Africa economic cooperation should look beyond existing trade and investment figures to the potential for both sides to expand their productive capacity.
Zhao said China had remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, arguing that stronger economic cooperation could support development in both regions.
The ambassador also highlighted the proposed China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development (CADEPA), which is intended to establish a longer-term framework for economic and trade cooperation.
He said the framework comprised four areas: facilitated trade, inclusive growth, resilient supply chains and modernised sectors for development.
African countries would be able to determine which areas to prioritise according to their national needs.
Zhao said the zero-tariff treatment would eventually be incorporated into CADEPA’s trade facilitation component and become permanent once the agreement was concluded.
He added that the framework could offer more predictable trade arrangements while allowing cooperation to support national industrial and development priorities.
The initiative could also strengthen regional trade through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Namibia’s Port of Walvis Bay and its transport corridors could serve as a gateway linking regional producers to international markets, supporting the movement of goods between Namibia, neighbouring countries and China.
The resulting opportunities could benefit logistics providers, manufacturers and exporters seeking to reach additional markets.
Ultimately, the challenge is to turn duty-free access into business on the ground: more orders, more local processing, greater investment and sustained export growth.
Without the production capacity, quality standards and reliable supply to match the opportunity, preferential access risks remaining an open door that Namibian businesses are unable to walk through.
The symposium was hosted by the Economic Association of Namibia in partnership with the Chinese Embassy and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board. It brought together stakeholders to discuss trade, investment and regional development.
