Statement by Vice President Lucia Witbooi at Windhoek Analab Inauguration of New Analytical Laboratory Services Building

Windhoek, 18 February 2026

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Good morning.

Let me express my appreciation for inviting me to this important event marking the inauguration of the Analytical Laboratory Services new building in Windhoek, complementing the existing facility at Walvis Bay.

This inauguration comes at a critical time as we implement the final stretch towards Vision 2030 and Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan, specifically Pillar One: Economic Growth, Transformation and Resilience. 

Our nation is committed to becoming a diversified, industrialised and knowledge-driven economy, moving beyond primary extraction towards value addition, expanded manufacturing, and the production of complex, high-value goods and services.

The new Analytical Laboratory Services building is more than an infrastructure development; it is a strategic economic asset. It enhances our national capacity for quality assurance, standards compliance, research, innovation and industrial competitiveness. In turn, it advances our goals of job creation and improved research and technological capabilities.

I am pleased to learn that Analab now employs about 34 staff members, with roughly 60% being young people. This is a significant increase from the original four staff members in 1997. By creating jobs, Analab supports the government’s efforts to curb unemployment, demonstrating growth that is both institutional and national. The expansion enhances the accessibility and reliability of analytical testing services, supporting decision-making, public health and sustainable development in Namibia’s agricultural, industrial and environmental sectors.

What started as a small but determined enterprise has grown into a respected and technically competent institution, expanding steadily in scope, capacity and expertise over nearly three decades. This trajectory of growth reflects not only resilience but strategic foresight and a firm commitment to quality.

Today, as we inaugurate this new building, we are also reinforcing the scientific backbone needed to move Namibia towards sustainable development of its agricultural, industrial and environmental sectors for shared prosperity. Analytical Laboratory Services, as an independent and trusted analytical laboratory, plays a critical role in Namibia’s scientific, agricultural, industrial and public health ecosystems; its services are integral to multiple sectors of our economy.

In agriculture, Analytical Laboratory Services provides soil testing, plant suitability analysis, feed quality assessments and scientific data that enable informed agricultural decision-making. In the food and cosmetics industries, rigorous quality control and safety verification processes ensure that products meet regulatory standards before entering the market.

For institutions and households, the laboratory conducts water quality assessments to ensure safety, compliance and protection of public health. Municipalities rely on Analytical Laboratory Services’ expertise to monitor water treatment plants and safeguard potable water supplies for their inhabitants.

Within the mining sector, accurate analytical results are essential for operational efficiency, environmental management and regulatory compliance.

Through these services, the laboratory directly contributes to environmental protection, industrial productivity, public health assurance and broader economic development. Its work is not merely technical; it is foundational to national resilience and sustainable progress.

As we dedicate this new Analytical Laboratory Services building to the service of our nation, we do so with a clear understanding that scientific infrastructure is economic infrastructure. The accurate instruments housed within these walls will underpin industrial certification, environmental stewardship, public health protection and compliance with international standards.

They will enable our producers to compete confidently in regional and global markets, strengthen our capacity for value addition and beneficiation of natural resources, and support the advancement of research, science, technology and innovation as envisioned in our sixth national development plan.

I therefore call upon our scientists, technicians, regulators, industry leaders and development partners to utilise this facility with integrity, excellence and innovation. May it serve not only as a centre of analytical precision, but as a catalyst for economic transformation, sustainable development and national pride.

Together, through discipline, ethical conduct and purposeful action, we shall ensure that Analytical Laboratory Services continues to provide services and contribute to Namibia’s long-term economic resilience, industrial diversification and sustainable development trajectory.

I thank you.

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