Govt to prioritise local manufacturers in procurement overhaul

The Ministry of Works and Transport has launched a procurement initiative aimed at expanding Namibia’s manufacturing capacity by prioritising locally produced goods through government stores.

The Government Stores Local Manufacturers Registration Initiative follows Cabinet directives issued in July 2025 and is aligned with the job creation and industrialisation targets set under the sixth National Development Plan.

Under the directive, all offices, ministries and agencies, state-owned enterprises, local authorities and regional councils will be required to procure standard items through government stores, with a growing share sourced from local manufacturers.

Connie Campbell, the deputy director of centralised services at the ministry, says the process began with an expression of interest issued in December, inviting manufacturers to register on an eligibility list for preferential procurement.

“The works ministry, through government stores, advertised an expression of interest requesting companies and manufacturers to register themselves on an eligibility list to be considered for preferential procurement through restrictive bidding,” she says.

Campbell says the eligibility list is intended to establish a national database of manufacturing capacity, allowing the government to better align procurement with local production.

Manufacturers are required to submit documentation, including a company profile, the details of key personnel, affirmative action certification, small and medium enterprise registration, social security compliance, proof of premises, and evidence of previous contracts, along with product brochures.

Campbell says registration does not automatically guarantee qualification, with site inspections to be conducted to verify operational capacity.

“Once we have verified the operations, applicants will be informed whether they have qualified or not,” she says.

The initiative introduces restrictive bidding, allowing registered manufacturers to compete among themselves for certain tenders, a move the government says will correct imbalances in the current procurement system.

“Currently, the procurement process has not been favourable to local manufacturers. This is about creating a level playing field where they can compete among themselves,” Campbell says.

However, officials acknowledged that not all goods can be sourced locally. Control administrative officer at the government stores Agnes Shoopala says items that cannot be produced domestically will remain open to standard national bidding processes.

“There are items that cannot be manufactured within the country, and these will continue to be procured through open national bidding where all suppliers can compete,” she says.

Shoopala says even registered manufacturers will still be required to undergo full evaluation, including submitting product samples to ensure compliance with required standards.

The government stores currently manage more than 11 000 items across six warehouses nationwide, including cleaning materials, hardware, furniture, uniforms, educational supplies and official documentation.

The ministry says the registration process remains open-ended, with no closing date set, as the government seeks to continuously expand its database of local manufacturers.

Officials have encouraged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of available funding mechanisms to establish manufacturing businesses and participate in the initiative.

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