Namibia on Monday dispatched its first export consignment to Nigeria under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), marking the country’s formal entry into Africa’s unified market.
The launch ceremony, held at the Port of Walvis Bay, was officiated by Minister of International Relations and Trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, who hailed the shipment as both economically strategic and symbolically significant.
“Nigeria stood with Namibia during our liberation struggle,” she said. “I think it’s really symbolic that the first consignment is going to Nigeria, strengthening our bilateral relations but also telling the world that Namibia is ready to trade under the AfCFTA rules.”
The inaugural shipment – comprising Namibian salt – represents the country’s operationalisation of the AfCFTA framework, which aims to eliminate tariffs on 90 percent of goods and foster intra-African trade across a market of over 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP exceeding US$3.4 trillion.
Namibia ratified the AfCFTA in 2019 and gazetted its tariff offer in December 2024.
Ashipala-Musavyi said the Port of Walvis Bay, a key logistics hub for southern and central Africa, will serve as the gateway for future exports, including meat, agricultural and value-added mineral products.
JN/APA