Meatco makes first AfCFTA export to Kenya
Namibia has taken a decisive step into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) marketplace, with Meatco set to dispatch its first export under the agreement - a shipment that could redefine the country’s role in Africa’s livestock value chain.
According to Meatco, on 20 November this year, the company will send two containers of Wet Blue Hides from its Okapuka Tannery to Mombasa, Kenya. While modest in scale, the export is highly significant.
The company stated that the shipment marks Namibia’s entry into a US$3.4 trillion continental market that has long promised opportunities but has seen slow real-world uptake. For Meatco, the shipment follows the securing of a new Kenyan client who will process the hides into finished leather on a trial basis.
According to Meatco, the consignment will undergo strict quality testing, be traded under AfCFTA’s non-tariff provisions, and be fully documented to meet the bloc’s Certificate of Origin requirements.
Strategic shift
Meatco’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Albertus Aochamub, said the move signals more than just a commercial transaction, saying it represents a strategic shift in how Namibia positions itself in intra-African trade.
“There are still logistical challenges that we hope to address swiftly; however, this is a positive step in advancing our intercontinental trade aspirations and expanding the leather value chain within Africa,” Aochamub said. “Our continent is endowed with vast natural resources, and increased intra-African trade will generate wealth for all participating countries.”
His comments underscore a broader regional momentum after years of negotiations. According to Meatco, AfCFTA is finally seeing tangible trade flows, and Namibia - often overshadowed by larger economies - is staking its claim early in specialised value chains, such as leather.
Aochamub added that Namibia’s hides could soon access more competitive markets across the continent. “I hope that more African markets will open up, enabling our hides to reach broader, more competitive markets,” he said.
The shipment, departing through the Port of Walvis Bay, is expected to be closely monitored by both industry players and policymakers. For Namibia’s livestock sector, pressured by climate shocks, market volatility, and local processing constraints, the AfCFTA route may offer a long-awaited doorway to growth.
According to Meatco, on 20 November this year, the company will send two containers of Wet Blue Hides from its Okapuka Tannery to Mombasa, Kenya. While modest in scale, the export is highly significant.
The company stated that the shipment marks Namibia’s entry into a US$3.4 trillion continental market that has long promised opportunities but has seen slow real-world uptake. For Meatco, the shipment follows the securing of a new Kenyan client who will process the hides into finished leather on a trial basis.
According to Meatco, the consignment will undergo strict quality testing, be traded under AfCFTA’s non-tariff provisions, and be fully documented to meet the bloc’s Certificate of Origin requirements.
Strategic shift
Meatco’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Albertus Aochamub, said the move signals more than just a commercial transaction, saying it represents a strategic shift in how Namibia positions itself in intra-African trade.
“There are still logistical challenges that we hope to address swiftly; however, this is a positive step in advancing our intercontinental trade aspirations and expanding the leather value chain within Africa,” Aochamub said. “Our continent is endowed with vast natural resources, and increased intra-African trade will generate wealth for all participating countries.”
His comments underscore a broader regional momentum after years of negotiations. According to Meatco, AfCFTA is finally seeing tangible trade flows, and Namibia - often overshadowed by larger economies - is staking its claim early in specialised value chains, such as leather.
Aochamub added that Namibia’s hides could soon access more competitive markets across the continent. “I hope that more African markets will open up, enabling our hides to reach broader, more competitive markets,” he said.
The shipment, departing through the Port of Walvis Bay, is expected to be closely monitored by both industry players and policymakers. For Namibia’s livestock sector, pressured by climate shocks, market volatility, and local processing constraints, the AfCFTA route may offer a long-awaited doorway to growth.
