Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade

What Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade does

The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) is the Namibian government ministry responsible for industrial development policy, trade facilitation, investment promotion, and SME support, operating with statutory mandate over four programme areas: International Trade Development, Industrial and Enterprise Development, Investment Promotion and Facilitation, and development of a competitive domestic economy. Headquartered at Brendan Simbwaye Square, Block A in Windhoek, MIT delivers public services through regional offices in all 14 administrative regions of Namibia and coordinates the country's participation in SACU, SADC, WTO, and EPA trade frameworks. The ministry was established as the Ministry of Trade and reported annually beginning 2011/12, was renamed to Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade in 2015, and is led by Minister Hon. Lucia Iipumbu, Deputy Minister Hon. Verna Sinimbo, and Executive Director Mr. Sikongo Haihambo.

MIT's core service portfolio spans trade facilitation (IMEX Import & Export Online Permit Application System, Namibia Trade Directory, import/export permit issuance), industrial development programmes (Equipment Aid Scheme, Industrial Upgrading and Modernisation Programme, Sites and Premises Development Programme), SME certification (online and in-person with 5 working day processing), and investment promotion through the Namibia Investment Centre established under the Foreign Investment Act (Act No. 24 of 1993). The EMPRETEC Namibia Programme, launched on 16 October 2019 in partnership with UNDP Namibia under the UNCTAD framework, delivers competency-based entrepreneurship training and business advisory services. The underlying technology consists of government-furnished Liferay-based portal infrastructure for the main website and standalone online application systems — no APIs, SDKs, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary technical platforms are disclosed beyond the public-facing permit and certification portals.

As a government ministry, MIT does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through Government of Namibia national treasury budget allocations and provides all services at no direct cost to citizens and businesses. The ministry oversees 8 statutory agencies — BIPA, NACC, NSI, NIDA, NTF, WBCG, NEAB, and WBEPZMC — covering IP registration, competition enforcement, standards, industrial development, trade policy advocacy, logistics corridors, real estate regulation, and export processing zone management. Its served population includes SMEs, exporters, domestic and foreign investors, and domestic businesses across Namibia, with SADC regional and Africa continental engagement for international trade and investment promotion under the 'Growth at Home' strategy.

Name

Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade

Legal name

Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade

Website

https://mit.gov.na

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) is the Namibian government ministry responsible for industrial development, trade facilitation, investment promotion, and SME support, delivering services across all 14 regions and coordinating SACU, SADC, WTO, and EPA trade frameworks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Trade and Industrial Development Services

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Administration of General Economic Programs (92611), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Services-Business Services, Nec (7389)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Service & Public Administration (HR, Org Dev, Workforce Policy) (BPAIAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Growth, Livelihoods & Private Sector Development (BPADAEAE), Trade Facilitation & Customs Modernization (BPADAMAB), Industrial Development & Competitiveness Programs (BPADAMAF)

Keywords

• Industrial development policy
• Trade facilitation services
• Investment promotion
• SME certification
• Government trade policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Windhoek

HQ country

Namibia

HQ region

Africa

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: MIT operates as a Namibian government ministry funded through national treasury budget allocations. The ministry does not generate commercial revenue but provides public services related to industrial development, trade facilitation, and investment promotion.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade is a Namibian government ministry that formulates and implements policy for industrial development, trade facilitation, and investment promotion. It delivers public services such as import/export permit issuance through the IMEX system, SME certification, entrepreneurship training via the EMPRETEC Namibia Programme, investment facilitation through the Namibia Investment Centre, and industrial development financing schemes (Equipment Aid Scheme, IUMP). Services are provided free of charge through 14 regional offices and online portals.

Product overview

The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) of Namibia operates as a government ministry rather than a commercial product company. MIT provides a portfolio of trade, industrial development, and investment facilitation services through multiple platforms and programmes. The core digital services include the Import & Export Online Permit Application (IMEX) system for trade permit processing, the Namibia Trade Directory for market information, and the SME Certificate Application System. Supporting these are various industrial development programmes including the EMPRETEC Namibia entrepreneurship training (in partnership with UNDP/UNCTAD), the Equipment Aid Scheme, the Industrial Upgrading and Modernisation Programme (IUMP), and the Sites and Premises Development Programme. The Namibia Investment Centre serves as the official investment promotion agency. All these services collectively support MIT's mandate of economic structural transformation, trade development, and industrial diversification under the 'Growth at Home' theme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Growth at Home: Industrial development strategy aimed at accelerating economic growth, reducing income inequality, and increasing employment in Namibia
• EMPRETEC Namibia Programme
• Namibia Investment Centre

Products and services

• Import & Export Online Permit Application (IMEX) Online portal system for processing import and export permit applications, enabling traders and businesses to submit permit requests digitally.
• SME Certificate Application System Online and regional office-based system for processing Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) certification applications, with a stated processing time of 5 working days.
• Namibia Investment Centre

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Business Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIPA is one of MIT's 8 partner agencies, responsible for business and intellectual property registration in Namibia under the Business and Intellectual Property Authority Act, 2016.
• Namibian Competition Commission (NACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACC works with MIT on promoting fair competition in the domestic market under the Competition Act, 2003.
• Namibian Standards Institution (NSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSI partners with MIT to promote and enhance nationally and internationally competitive industrial and product quality and standards under the Standards Act, 2005.
• Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIDA is a key implementing agency for industrial development initiatives and projects under MIT's mandate.
• Namibia Trade Forum (NTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNTF serves as an umbrella business organization working with MIT on trade development and promotion activities.
• Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBCG collaborates with MIT on trade logistics and corridor development facilitating import and export activities through the Walvis Bay port.
• Namibia Estate Agents Board (NEAB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEAB operates under MIT's regulatory oversight for estate agent registration and practice standards.
• Walvis Bay Export Processing Zone Management Company (WBEPZMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBEPZMC manages the export processing zone and works with MIT on industrial development and export promotion from the Walvis Bay region.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Namibia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNDP Namibia partners with MIT on the EMPRETEC Namibia Programme for entrepreneurship development, providing technical support and funding under the UNCTAD framework.
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT operates the EMPRETEC Namibia Programme under UNCTAD's international framework for entrepreneurship development.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Botswana Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry: Closest functional peer — Botswana's MITI has the same mandate of investment promotion, trade facilitation, industrial development, and SME support for another small SADC economy. Same structure of sub-agencies, same regional trade agreements, and overlapping investor pool.
• Kenya Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry: Kenya's investment, trade and industry ministry performs an equivalent mandate across industrial policy, trade negotiation, investment promotion, and enterprise development, operating within East African Community (EAC) and AfCFTA frameworks.
• South Africa Department of Trade, Industry and Competition: National ministry responsible for industrial policy, trade agreements, investment promotion, and SME development in South Africa. Larger in scale but functionally analogous — both administer SACU, SADC, and AfCFTA-related industrial policy programmes.
• Zambia Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry: Zambia's MCTI administers trade policy, industrial development, and investment promotion for another land-linked SADC economy with a comparable commodity-dependent industrial base.
• Tanzania Ministry of Industry and Trade: Tanzania's MIT oversees industrial development, trade policy, and investment promotion in another East African SADC-member economy, with comparable SME support programmes and trade facilitation mandate.

Broad incumbents

• UK Department for Business and Trade: Combines industrial development, trade negotiation, and investment promotion functions in a larger economy. Operates broader programmes (e.g. export finance, investor outreach) at a much larger scale than MIT but exercises an equivalent whole-of-government mandate.

Others

• UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): Strategic partner — UNCTAD hosts the EMPRETEC framework under which MIT's entrepreneurship programme operates. UNCTAD provides technical assistance, training methodology, and policy advisory to investment/trade ministries globally, including Namibia.
• UN Development Programme (UNDP) Namibia: Strategic partner — co-implements the EMPRETEC Namibia Programme with MIT (launched 16 October 2019). UNDP provides co-financing and technical assistance for SME and entrepreneurship development initiatives.
• SADC Secretariat: Regional body of which Namibia is a member state; coordinates regional industrial development, trade, and investment policy frameworks that MIT implements at national level. Provides donor funding for industrial projects and trade facilitation.

Direct peers

• Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB): Operates the Namibia Investment Centre platform referenced by MIT and functions as Namibia's investment promotion agency. Despite name ambiguity, it is the principal domestic peer for delivering investor-facing services in the same market MIT serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ministry-of-industrialisation-and-trade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade