By: Dwight Links
International Relations and Trade Minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi Namibia has only issued nine Certificates of Origin for exports to destinations including Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.
Speaking at the annual Theo-Ben Gurirab Lecture Series, the minister made mention of various developments in continental trade progress.
Over 8,500 AfCFTA certificates of origin had been issued by June 2025, with South Africa issuing the most with over 4,000.
“On 20 December 2024, Namibia gazetted its Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions under the AfCFTA. Subsequently, on 30 June 2025, Namibia officially launched trading under the AfCFTA, with the first consignment exported to Nigeria,” stated Ashipala-Musavyi.
According to the minister, this has led to Namibia issuing nine Certificates of Origin for exports to destinations including Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.
According to the Tralac Trade Law Centre in South Africa, the Provisional Schedule of Tariffs provides a legal basis for the countries that have submitted their tariff schedules in accordance with the agreed modalities to trade preferentially amongst themselves.
“On 10 October 2021 the Council of Ministers adopted the Ministerial Directive on the application of Provisional Schedules of Tariff Concessions. The Ministerial Directive was adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments in February 2022,” adds the platform.
Namibia signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement on 2 July 2018 and, according to Ashipala-Musavyi, the nation deposited its Instrument of Ratification on 25 January 2019.
“While official trading under the AfCFTA commenced continentally in January 2021, Namibia officially launched its AfCFTA National Strategy on 21 November 2022. In 2024, Namibia established the National Implementation Committee, which serves as a focal point for AfCFTA implementation and trade facilitation matters,” indicated the minister.
She explained that the committee consisted of various stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, and was tasked with driving national implementation efforts.
The AfCFTA has been woven into the fabric of Namibia’s national planning and policy-making efforts, explained the minister.
She added that the opportunities still greatly outweigh the possibility of not pursuing the AfCFTA.
“Africa can no longer continue exporting raw materials while importing finished products at significantly higher costs. Through the AfCFTA, we have an opportunity to build regional value chains, promote beneficiation, and develop industries within Africa,” stated the minister.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, spoke to the current instability and uncertainty surrounding the global economic landscape.
“This year’s commemoration [of Africa Day] takes place at a moment of significant global economic and geopolitical change.”
“Rising geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, the uncertainty around AGOA, growing protectionism, and the fragmentation of global trade are reshaping international commerce and investment patterns,” Mene noted.
Adding that there is room for opportunity and growth for the continent, Mene highlighted that Africa can still achieve its goals under these circumstances.
“Amid these disruptions, Africa is uniquely positioned to seize new opportunities. With its vast natural resources, youthful population, and growing continental integration agenda, Africa must not simply respond to global change; it must help define the next global economic order,” asserted Mene.
Singling out that resilience has become the theme of the global trade landscape, Mene described that the continent is increasing efforts to explore alternative trade avenues.
“In this environment, countries and regions are placing greater emphasis on resilience through stronger regional integration, diversified markets, and more secure value chains,” he said.
According to the secretary-general, intra-African trade still accounts for about 18% of Africa’s total trade, compared with approximately 60% in Asia and nearly 70% in Europe.
Mene noted that expanding intra-African trade remains key to the continent’s broader industrialisation and integration agenda.
