Eenhana expo celebrates youth, innovation and growth in support of National Development Goals

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the opening of the 15th Eenhana Expo, Eenhana, 28 July 2025

This expo comes seven days after I officially launched the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which serves as a blueprint policy document for the eighth administration. The Swapo Party Implementation Plan is also integrated into the NDP6.

The NDP6 is being implemented under the principle of fostering economic growth, inclusiveness and resilience for sustainable development. I am therefore glad that the theme of your expo to a certain extent speaks to the NDP6. I congratulate you for that.

Let me express my sincere appreciation to the Eenhana Town Council for the invitation to officiate the 15th edition of the Eenhana Exposition. My attendance is also an opportunity for me to appreciate what is happening in Eenhana as a building block to the national development agenda.

This year’s theme, ‘Advancing Innovation and Diversification’, aligns with our economic aspirations embedded within the economic growth, transformation, and community resilience pillar of the NDP6, which aims to achieve inclusive, diversified and sustainable growth.

In its 15 years of existence, the Eenhana Expo has not only grown into a strategic cornerstone that accelerates local economic development, but has also been instrumental in showcasing indigenous talent and fostering public-private partnerships for sustainable service delivery. Indeed, the expo enhances access to services and goods while presenting cross-sectoral networking and collaboration.

In the same vein, the expo brings together local and international exhibitors and stakeholders, and serves as a gateway for Namibian entrepreneurs to access the African market through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By leveraging the opportunities presented through the AfCFTA, the expo contributes to regional integration and collective prosperity for Africa.

Equally, the expo also presents an opportunity for exhibitors from other regions and neighbouring countries to showcase their products and services. I am informed that this year’s expo has low international participation, with exhibitors only coming from Tanzania and South Africa. This indicates that the Eenhana Town Council and the organisers need to intensify their marketing strategies to attract more international exhibitors in future editions.

I wish to extend my gratitude to all national and international exhibitors, particularly those exhibiting for the first time. I hope that you will continue to support the expo in the future. To accelerate development in Eenhana and throughout Namibia, I encourage you to build strategic partnerships.

To our established businesses, I call upon you to mentor and invest in this town and spend time with our upcoming entrepreneurs, nurturing their innovative ideas into thriving enterprises. Eenhana is one of the fastest-growing towns and, being a strong branch of Trans-Caprivi, it has a high potential for business growth.

I am informed that a total of 199 exhibitors are participating in the Eenhana Expo, with the majority being regular participants over the years. Remarkably, I am pleased to note that 85% of the exhibitors are young people, and 72 exhibitors represent the creative industry, underscoring the vital role expos play in the growth of the creative sector and supporting young people for the socio-economic benefit of Namibia.

This expo provides a marketplace for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to gain exposure and access new markets. However, SMEs face multifaceted challenges such as a lack of access to start-up capital, business skills and stringent credit facility requirements, which continue to limit the sector’s contribution to the nation’s development.

As we strive to build a robust, resilient and inclusive economy within a dynamic global landscape, we must change our mindset to ensure that resources are used effectively for the benefit of all Namibians. I reiterate that we are too few to be poor. If we all work with one heart, one mind, the sky will not even be the limit.

Among other things we must fight corruption. If corruption is allowed, it will compromise government efforts towards equitable service delivery, sustainable development and shared prosperity. Therefore, we must collectively find solutions to combat it, as it is detrimental to our economy.

I have observed the trend of hosting expos and trade fairs as annual events across the country. However, expos should not be viewed as one-off events but as tools to empower our youth and women, especially those in rural areas, thereby creating a positive impact on the lives of Namibian citizens.

Youth empowerment is a cornerstone of our national development agenda, and expos should offer invaluable opportunities for our young people to showcase their products and services. Therefore, it is imperative that we equip our youth with the resources, skills and opportunities to thrive in an evolving economy.

To this end, the government continues to support programmes and initiatives that are aimed at alleviating poverty, reducing unemployment among our youth and opening markets for trade and investment.

It is on this basis that the cabinet approved N$257 million as part of the National Youth Fund, aimed at strengthening youth financial positions and enabling them to participate more actively in the economy.

The youth fund will be operationalised in August and young people must be on the lookout to benefit from this fund. The fund will be accessed through financial institutions and will be open to all, with or without collateral. It will also contribute to high job creation in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, creative industry and sports, among others.

Let us make use of this expo for high-level business networking, thus enabling us to know what is available in the market in terms of commodities, services and skills for a better future.

As president of the Republic of Namibia, I call upon all stakeholders to invest in homegrown initiatives, ensuring that our young people remain in the regions. When a local economy offers various opportunities, young people and skilled professionals are less likely to leave in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

I cannot leave this podium without addressing an issue which is giving me sleepless nights. I am sure as residents of Ohangwena region you have been feeling the same. I call on all residents of Ohangwena to do soul-searching and ask the big question: What is happening in our society?

We sympathise with the bereaved families. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I have directed all civil servants to be sensitive to the circumstances of others. Suicide rates in our country have become worrisome and very sad. We have an inclusive government, and in an inclusive government we have to listen and pay attention to one another.

I extend my sincere gratitude to the leadership and management of the Eenhana Town Council, organisers, sponsors, exhibitors and participants who have made this event possible. Your dedication and hard work are truly commendable. Let us make this 15th edition of the Eenhana Exhibition Event a resounding success.

I now have the honour to declare the 15th edition of the Eenhana Expo officially open. I wish all of you success at this expo and in the future.

I thank you.

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