Namibia, South Africa Push for Value Added Industries

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on Namibia and South Africa to accelerate industrialisation by processing more of their natural resources at home instead of exporting raw materials.

Speaking during the fourth session of the Namibia South Africa Bi National Commission in Pretoria on Friday, Ramaphosa said the two countries must work together to create regional value chains that generate jobs, strengthen industries and unlock long term economic growth across Southern Africa.

The meeting brought together Ramaphosa and Namibian President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah to deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen economic ties between the neighbouring nations.

Ramaphosa said the visit reaffirmed the historic relationship between Namibia and South Africa, which was built during the struggle against colonialism and continues to shape regional cooperation today.

“Our people stood together during colonialism, and today we continue to strengthen that shared relationship. This commission represents prosperity for our people, development and stability for our region and the African continent,” he said.

Africa Must Capture More Value From Its Resources

Ramaphosa said Africa is entering a defining period as global demand for the continent’s vast natural resources continues to grow. However, he argued that true economic transformation will only happen when African countries process and manufacture products locally instead of exporting unprocessed commodities.

He stressed that the continent’s greatest challenge is not the availability of natural resources but its ability to retain more of the economic value created from them.

“Our objective should be to build regional value chains rather than exporting merely raw materials. For far too long Africa has exported opportunities while importing prosperity. We have created industries elsewhere while unemployment has remained one of our greatest challenges at home,” Ramaphosa said.

The South African leader added that Africa must move away from an economic model that sends raw minerals overseas while importing finished products at significantly higher costs.

He said refining, innovation and manufacturing should increasingly take place within Southern Africa, creating employment opportunities, expanding industrial capacity and improving economic resilience across the region.

Orange Basin Offers Opportunity Beyond Oil and Gas

Ramaphosa highlighted the Orange Basin as one of the world’s most promising emerging energy regions, saying it has the potential to reshape the economies of both Namibia and South Africa.

Rather than focusing solely on oil and gas extraction, he urged both governments to develop an integrated regional energy economy that supports multiple industries.

According to Ramaphosa, the basin could drive investment in engineering, exploration, refining, logistics, maritime services and advanced manufacturing while creating thousands of skilled jobs.

He said strategic collaboration around the Orange Basin could position Namibia and South Africa as leading industrial and energy hubs within Africa while strengthening regional competitiveness.

A Shared Vision for Regional Prosperity

The discussions at the Namibia South Africa Bi National Commission reflect a broader shift across Africa toward economic diversification, industrial development and value addition.

As countries seek to maximise the benefits of their natural resources, leaders increasingly view beneficiation and regional manufacturing as essential to reducing unemployment, attracting investment and building sustainable economic growth.

For African business leaders and investors, Ramaphosa’s message signals renewed momentum behind regional industrial policies that aim to ensure Africa captures greater value from its own resources instead of exporting wealth abroad.