Namibia’s drive to attract investment into its growing green economy took a practical step in Swakopmund this week, as project owners were given an opportunity to pitch their businesses directly to potential investors, financiers and technology partners.
The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) hosted an Investment Forum on Tuesday (9 September) as part of the African Green Industries Summit, bringing Namibian businesses and potential sources of capital into the same room. The forum focused particularly on projects in the energy and green economy sectors, with project owners presenting opportunities ranging from solar power generation to waste management and agricultural machinery manufacturing. For NIPDB, the objective was not simply to showcase projects, but to help businesses move closer to securing the funding, expertise and partnerships needed to turn their plans into operating businesses.
NIPDB Acting Chief Executive Officer Julia Muetudhana said investment promotion should go beyond bringing money into the country. “At the NIPDB, we recognise that investment promotion goes beyond attracting capital into Namibia. It is also about connecting the right opportunities with the right partners, capital and technologies,” she said. Muetudhana said the forum was intended to bridge the gap between promising projects and their implementation, while ensuring investment contributes to economic transformation and employment creation. The forum also gave entrepreneurs a chance to hear directly from financiers about what is required before a project can attract funding.
Tom Vorster of EOS Capital said investors look for projects that are legally sound, financially viable and supported by capable teams. He highlighted factors such as a clear unique selling proposition, secured land or resources and properly structured off-take agreements as important considerations when assessing investment opportunities. Adri Spangenberg, Corporate Relationship Manager Coastal at Nedbank Namibia, similarly stressed the importance of bankable feasibility studies covering technical, legal and financial aspects. He said projects also need clear revenue models, off-take agreements and realistic implementation plans, while risks must be properly understood and managed.
For local entrepreneurs, the value of the forum therefore extended beyond making a pitch. Ruan de Waldt, Executive Director of Strategy, Operations and Partnerships at Rehoboth Farming and Energy, said the opportunity to present the company’s REHO 40MW Solar PV Project to investors was valuable exposure for the business. He said the feedback and networking could help the project move towards becoming bankable and contribute to Namibia’s energy transition.AgriTactic Machines Research and Development Associate Klaudia N. Mwatile said the forum also provided practical feedback on how the company’s agricultural machinery manufacturing project could be strengthened. She said the advice from financiers would help the company improve its feasibility work and make the project more investment-ready as it seeks funding to expand.
The investment drive comes as Namibia seeks to address longstanding economic challenges while making greater use of its natural and renewable resources. Ndapewa Hangula, NIPDB Executive: Investment (Acting), said the country’s investment priorities include renewable energy, oil and gas, green hydrogen, agriculture, manufacturing, transport and logistics, mining and related industries. Hangula said investment should contribute to addressing poverty, unemployment and inequality, while supporting the country’s broader development objectives.
She also emphasised the need to move investment projects beyond presentations and towards real economic activity and job creation. For Swakopmund and the wider Erongo region, the green economy push is particularly relevant as Namibia seeks to position itself as a destination for renewable energy and other emerging industries. Muetudhana told participants that Namibia’s green industrialisation opportunities extend beyond renewable energy and green hydrogen into minerals, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, infrastructure and technology.
She said the ultimate ambition was to move projects “from presentation to partnership, and from partnership to investment and from investment to impact.” The NIPDB says continued collaboration between government, businesses, investors, project developers and technology providers will be necessary if Namibia is to turn its green industrialisation ambitions into economic opportunities and sustainable employment.
By Sharlien Tjambari
