Dino Balotti, the Executive Director of MSME Development, Innovation, and Acceleration at NIPDB, has highlighted the significance of online businesses in connecting with international markets. He emphasised this retail strategy during the launch of the Entrepreneurship Minds programme on Thursday, which is a joint effort between the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and the Estonian Centre for International Development (Estdev). The programme is a collaborative effort with Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia.
Balotti’s vision for the project is to empower and unleash Namibia’s untapped business potential by fostering a focus on technology and digitalisation, particularly in the domains of digitisation and e-commerce for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He emphasised that Namibia was identified as a crucial priority for Estonia’s development cooperation in 2020.
“The opportunity is here. When starting a business, it must be an online business to attract international customers. This approach will undoubtedly contribute to the success of businesses. However, in Namibia, the majority of businesses are not yet online,” said Balotti.
Meanwhile, Estdev’s regional advisor for Africa, Nelli Tim, revealed that Estonia has been supporting the digitalisation of the public sector in Namibia since 2013 and remains committed to assisting Namibians.
Over the years, approximately 12 projects have been funded in Namibia, totalling some €750 000 (over N$14 million).
Estonia’s focus extends to countries like Namibia, Kenya, and Uganda, driven by the goal of promoting digital transformation, creating open and inclusive societies, nurturing startup ecosystems, funding innovative local solutions to developmental challenges, and fortifying the economy.
Tim also highlighted that this new project will play a pivotal role in bolstering Namibia’s SME sector through the development of digital capabilities and skills. Training courses and pilot programmes are set to be a cornerstone of this transformative collaboration.
“This ambitious partnership between Namibia and Estonia promises to not only unlock business potential but also to foster digital innovation and economic growth in the region,” she said.