Omuthiya business expo receives financial boost

The third edition of the Omuthiya Business Expo received a major financial boost on Saturday after businesses and stakeholders pledged N$626 026 during the Omuthiya Town Council gala dinner.

The funds will support the hosting of the expo, which is scheduled for October at the new open market centre at Omuthiya under the theme, ‘Local by Design; Crafting Competitive SMEs for Tomorrow.’

Speaking at the gala dinner, National Planning Commission director general Kaire Mbuende said the fundraising event is a demonstration of the collective commitment to strengthening local economic development and creating opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Mbuende said the expo’s theme underscored the need to deliberately build competitive businesses through investment in skills development, innovation, infrastructure and enabling policy environments.

“Namibia’s SMEs should be supported to move beyond fragmented small-scale operations into coordinated and scalable value chains capable of contributing meaningfully to economic transformation,” he said.

According to Mbuende, value addition remains essential to ensuring that products are processed locally instead of being exported in raw form, thereby retaining economic value within communities while creating employment opportunities.

“Omuthiya’s strategic location as a gateway to Namibia’s central northern regions presents significant opportunities for trade, tourism and service-based enterprises, provided that the government, the private sector and local communities work together to unlock the town’s full economic potential,” he said.

Businessman Shafa Kanime echoes the call for stronger collaboration, encouraging the local business community to seize the investment opportunities available at Omuthiya and actively contribute to the town’s development.

Kanime says the town has the potential to become a tourism and commercial hub, provided that businesses continue investing in trade and other economic activities that will benefit both the town and the wider Oshikoto region.

He highlights the importance of utilising the agricultural land surrounding Omuthiya to strengthen agricultural production, saying the sector could become a key driver of economic growth and create additional business opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

The annual Omuthiya Business Expo aims to promote local enterprises, attract investment and stimulate sustainable economic development in the region.

– Nampa

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