Roads Authority Namibia

What Roads Authority Namibia does

Roads Authority of Namibia is a state-owned enterprise established under the Roads Authority Act (Act 17 of 1999), headquartered in Windhoek, with statutory responsibility for managing Namibia's national road network so that it is safe and efficient. The organization employs 501-1,000 staff across a head office, five regional offices (Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Oshakati, Grootfontein, Walvis Bay), NaTIS centres, and ten-plus weighbridge facilities located at strategic border crossings and major routes.

The Authority's core products include NATIS (Namibia Traffic Information System) for vehicle registration and licensing, the Road Transportation Permits System covering domestic, cross-border, and abnormal-load permits, Weighbridge Services for vehicle load compliance, and the Road Management System (RMS) — a centralized database with ArcGIS-based mapping covering all road network proclamations plus a Bridge Management System tracking 499 bridges, 953 major culverts, and 1,303 culverts. An online services portal (online.ra.org.na) extends permit and registration services digitally.

As a government statutory body, the Authority derives revenue from road user fees, permit application/processing fees, and overloading penalties, governed by the Road Transportation Act and Regulations of 1977 and the Road Traffic and Transport Act of 1999. It serves three primary customer segments: transport operators and carriers (permits), commercial vehicle owners over 3.5 tons (weighbridge compliance), and the general public (vehicle registration via NaTIS). The Authority operates under oversight of the Ministry of Works and Transport, with a board appointed by the Minister and an executive team led by CEO Mbahupu Tjivikua.

Name

Roads Authority Namibia

Legal name

Roads Authority of Namibia

Website

https://ra.org.na

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Roads Authority Namibia is a state-owned statutory body that manages Namibia's 48,537 km national road network, issuing transportation permits, enforcing vehicle weight compliance via weighbridges, and operating the NaTIS vehicle registration system for the Namibian public and transport operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Road Infrastructure Management

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Road & Highway Authorities (Planning, Construction, Maintenance) (BPAIALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK)

Keywords

• Road infrastructure management
• Vehicle registration services
• Transportation permits
• Weighbridge enforcement
• Traffic information systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Windhoek

HQ country

Namibia

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Roads Authority Namibia is a state-owned enterprise that constructs and maintains Namibia's national road network, manages vehicle registration and licensing through the Namibia Traffic Information System (NaTIS), issues road transportation permits (domestic, cross-border, abnormal load), and enforces vehicle load limits through weighbridge facilities. Its statutory mandate under the Roads Authority Act (Act 17 of 1999) is to manage the national road network so that it is safe and efficient.

Product overview

Roads Authority Namibia operates as a government road infrastructure agency offering a portfolio of interconnected services centered on road network management. The core offerings include the NATIS (Namibia Traffic Information System) for vehicle registration and licensing, a Road Transportation Permits System for domestic and cross-border permits, Weighbridge Services for load enforcement, and the Road Management System for infrastructure data. These services are delivered through physical NaTIS centres nationwide and an online services portal, supporting Namibia's road safety and transportation regulation mandate under the Roads Authority Act (Act 17 of 1999).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NATIS: Namibia Traffic Information System - Online services for vehicle registration, licensing, and permit management

Products and services

• NATIS (Namibia Traffic Information System) Electronic system for vehicle registration, licensing, and road traffic management services offered at NaTIS centres nationwide. Provides online services for permits and vehicle administration for Namibian citizens and transport operators.
• Road Transportation Permits System System for issuing and managing domestic, cross-border, and abnormal load transportation permits under the Road Transportation Act and Road Traffic and Transport Act. Provides permits authorising transportation of passengers for reward on public roads within the borders of Namibia and cross-border transportation.
• Weighbridge Services Vehicle weighing services at multiple weighbridge locations to enforce load limits, ensure road safety, and prevent infrastructure damage from overloaded vehicles. Operates at strategic points including Windhoek (Brakwater, Aris), Gobabis, Ariamsvlei, Noordoewer, Rosh Pinah, Onhuno, Oshivelo, Katima Mulilo, and Walvis Bay.
• Road Management System (RMS) Database system for road network data, proclamations, and infrastructure management. Contains bridge management capabilities and road condition assessments. Central database containing all proclamations and data regarding the 48,537.7 km road network including Network 6 mapping for Namibia and District.
• NaTIS Online Portal Digital platform providing online access to NATIS services, permit applications, and road-related e-services for citizens and businesses. Accessible at online.ra.org.na.

Quantifiable outcome

• Road network spans 48,537.7 km total: 8,400 km bitumen/surfaced, 26,024 km gravel, 13,773.8 km earth tracks, 330.1 km salt roads
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA): Kenya's statutory national roads agency responsible for development, maintenance, and management of national trunk roads. Directly comparable in mandate, statutory establishment, and operational scope, though operating in a larger and more urbanized economy.
• Botswana Roads Department: Botswana's government department responsible for the national road network. Comparable as a state entity managing road infrastructure, though organized as a department rather than a statutory agency.
• National Roads Authority of Mauritius (NRA): Mauritius's national road authority managing classified roads and bridges. Comparable as a statutory body with road network management, road safety, and infrastructure maintenance responsibilities in an African jurisdiction.
• Zambia Road Development Agency (RDA): Zambia's statutory road development and maintenance agency. Comparable in legal mandate for national road network management, axle load control, and regional SADC integration focus.
• Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS): Tanzania's statutory body responsible for trunk and regional road network management. Comparable as a state-owned road authority with similar mandate, regional office structure, and weighbridge/overload control responsibilities.
• Ghana Highways Authority: Ghana's statutory body managing trunk road infrastructure. Comparable in statutory establishment, road network management mandate, and axle-load/weighbridge enforcement operations across national corridors.

Broad incumbents

• South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL): South Africa's national road agency managing toll and non-toll national routes. Directly comparable as a statutory body managing a national road network with tolling, permits, and weighbridge enforcement, but operating in a much larger and more economically complex jurisdiction.

Emerging players

• Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), South Africa: South African agency regulating cross-border road transport permits in the SADC region. Comparable as a peer in cross-border permit issuance and transport operator regulation, a core function of Roads Authority Namibia.
• eThekwini Roads Authority (Durban): Sub-national road authority in South Africa focused on municipal-level road infrastructure management. Comparable in the authority model for managing road networks but with a more localized mandate than national-level peers.

Regional players

• Lesotho Roads Directorate: Lesotho's government directorate responsible for road infrastructure. Comparable as a regional SADC government road management entity, though smaller in scale and operating in a more mountainous, lower-volume network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Xx.com/RANamibia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Roads Authority Namibia