Rudolf Gaiseb
The Kaoko Fria Investment has completed the feasibility study of the Kaoko Fria Smart City and Deep-Sea Port.
The project is environmentally acceptable, technically feasible, economically justified and financially bankable, according to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Integrated Feasibility Study.
“This is a very costly exercise. We are talking about privately injecting millions of dollars to complete these feasibility studies, but what is very important is ploughing back into the community. Putting people first must always be the guiding principle,” Kaoko Fria Investment managing director Michael Petrus was quoted in a statement.The project is a mega-infrastructure initiative aimed at repositioning Namibia as a premier Atlantic maritime gateway for Southern Africa and its continental hinterland.
It is located at Cape Fria/Angra Fria in the Kunene region.
It includes a deep-sea port, a master-planned smart city, an international airport, a dry port at Katima Mulilo, and a dedicated rail-and-road logistics corridor, establishing direct connectivity between inland Namibia, regional markets, and global trade routes.
The promises are to anchor industrialisation, value addition, MSME participation, skills development, and large-scale employment creation, particularly for the youth.
It is anticipated to directly support the government’s seven priority areas and eight critical economic enablers, including transport and logistics, mining, energy, oil, fisheries, agriculture, and water.
Moreover, the studies reveal a surge in the total capital investment in the project from the initial US$ 74 billion to an estimated US$ 100 billion (about N$1.5 trillion).
“This is due to the enhanced port capacity, expanded smart city infrastructure, integrated logistics corridors, and long-term sustainability components validated through detailed technical and financial analysis,” spokesperson Immanuel Nghifikwa said.
The investment is structured for phased implementation through public–private partnerships, port concessions, and long-term institutional and sovereign investment.
Interest has been expressed by international partners across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. With the feasibility studies now completed, the project presents extensive investment opportunities.Prospective investors are encouraged to follow formal engagement protocols through official government channels and thereafter engage the Kaoko Fria team.
Nghifikwa further noted that the Kaoko Fria Smart City adopts an inclusive yet sovereign investment model, with 70% of the project’s equity reserved for Namibian and African shareholders, while 30% is allocated to international strategic partners, ensuring African ownership, local value retention, and global collaboration.
-rgaiseb@nepc.com.na