Nandi-Ndaitwah seeks lower Namibia-Angola trade costs

Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah urged Angola on Monday to cut cross-border trade barriers, while a 2024 legal audit identified more than 60 bilateral agreements, The Namibian reported Oct. 20.

The appeal matters for small-scale traders and companies facing paperwork, transport bottlenecks and border costs, with existing accords already covering trade, border management, infrastructure, energy, water security and transport.

Nandi-Ndaitwah spoke in Luanda at the inaugural session of the Angola-Namibia Bi-National Commission, a forum created after the two governments decided in 2019 to deepen bilateral cooperation.

"Our common border should serve as a bridge to economic opportunity rather than a barrier to commerce," she said, according to The Namibian.

She called for tighter coordination among customs, immigration and other border agencies, better information exchange and steps to ease lawful commerce. She also said the two countries should focus on implementation rather than the number of documents signed.

"Our people will not be impressed by the number of agreements we signed; they want to see a positive impact in their day-to-day lives," she said.

The Namibian reported that Nandi-Ndaitwah pointed to possible cooperation linked to Angola's Lobito Refinery in petroleum products, logistics, storage and distribution, subject to commercial viability. She also welcomed the 2026 Angola-Namibia inter-connector project, saying energy cooperation could support regional energy security and industrialisation.

No specific timetable for border reforms was reported. The commission now gives both governments a venue to test whether the more than 60 agreements identified in the 2024 audit can be converted into operational changes at crossings and in trade-related agencies.

Source: news article, The Namibian via AllAfrica, Oct. 20, 2026