Investment Board launches capacity building campaign for MSMEs
The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) recently launched the Know2Grow campaign, which strives to provide micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with critical information including how to scale their businesses by gaining domestic and international market access.
The regional knowledge dissemination, capacity building, and networking initiative was first piloted in Gobabis in December 2021 and will be rolled out nationwide over the next six months.
The first phase of the campaign will kick off in Karasburg on 28 February, followed by Keetmanshoop on 01 March and thereafter Bethanie (02 March 2022) and Lüderitz (03 March 2022).
“Knowledge is power. Therefore the NIPDB in collaboration with stakeholders from the public and private sectors are committed to facilitating the empowerment of MSMEs with the right skills, knowledge and opportunities that will enable them to become active role players in building the economy of Namibia,” said NIPDB Chairperson and CEO, Nangula Uaandja.
To provide tailored assistance to the regions, Know2Grow has identified six industry sectors as key focus areas of the first phase of the campaign. This decision was informed by the engagements with regional leaders, who highlighted their respective regions’ economic areas of focus.
These include textile manufacturing; agriculture, horticulture and food processing; aquaculture; electronics and information, communication & technology (ICT), renewable energy and green hydrogen and pharmaceuticals.
Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, commended the NIPDB for initiating the Know2Grow campaign as a vital intervention particularly in times like this when the economy is uncertain and businesses are under pressure due to the prolonged impact of COVID-19.
Iipumbu called on collaboration between the government and private sector at all levels to ensure that, “businesses take full advantage of various available opportunities and thus boost economic growth, to achieve our developmental agenda as enshrined in short and long-term development plans such as the Harambee Prosperity Plan, National Development Plans and Vision 2030.”
