Namibia has officially inaugurated its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by dispatching its first export consignment under the continental framework. The milestone event, held in the coastal city of Walvis Bay, marks Namibia’s tangible integration into the continent-wide trading bloc, with Namibian salt designated as the inaugural export commodity.
Speaking at the event, Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, underscored the symbolic and strategic significance of the export. “Today marks the beginning of a journey that seeks to position Namibia to take full advantage of Africa’s single market,” she said. Historically, Namibia’s trade activity has been dominated by its participation in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The AfCFTA now presents an opportunity to expand beyond these regional confines, extending Namibia’s commercial footprint to markets in West, North, and Central Africa.
The AfCFTA is one of the most ambitious projects of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, aiming to create a unified continental market comprising over 1.4 billion people with an aggregate gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately US$3.4 trillion. Its objective is to eliminate tariffs on 90% of goods, facilitate movement of capital and people, and promote industrial development through economic diversification and value chain creation.
Namibia became a signatory to the AfCFTA on 2 July 2018 and subsequently deposited its instrument of ratification on 1 February 2019, thereby affirming its commitment to the agreement’s operationalisation. A major advancement came on 20 December 2024, when the Namibian government officially gazetted its AfCFTA tariff offer, a crucial regulatory step enabling the commencement of formal trade under the AfCFTA umbrella.
The selection of salt for the inaugural consignment reflects Namibia’s strategic utilisation of its natural resource endowment and existing infrastructure, notably the Walvis Bay port, which serves as a critical trade gateway for Southern Africa. With over 90% of Namibia’s exports traditionally routed to South Africa and other SADC countries, the AfCFTA offers a transformative platform for diversifying trading partners and bolstering national competitiveness.
This first shipment signals Namibia’s readiness to operationalise the AfCFTA and engage with its broader economic potential. It also aligns with the African Union’s goal of increasing intra-African trade, which currently accounts for just under 15% of the continent’s total trade volume — considerably lower than in other global regions.
While challenges such as logistical infrastructure, tariff harmonisation, and non-tariff barriers persist, the AfCFTA’s implementation remains a landmark development for African economic policy. Namibia’s proactive alignment with this framework not only demonstrates political and economic commitment but may also encourage other member states to expedite their own trading arrangements under the AfCFTA protocol.
As more countries begin trading under the AfCFTA, Namibia’s early participation could offer strategic advantages, including first-mover market access and enhanced investor confidence. The success of this initiative, however, will depend on the continuous alignment of domestic policy frameworks with AfCFTA protocols and the ability of local industries to scale and meet the new demands of continental markets.
Namibia’s entry into AfCFTA-based trade reaffirms its broader developmental vision — a pivot from regional dependency to a more integrated continental identity, fostering long-term economic resilience and inclusive growth.
