Vice President Lucia Witbooi has said poor infrastructure and complex travel logistics remain key barriers to intra-African trade. 

Witbooi addressed a session titled 'Discover Namibia' at the Intra-Africa Trade Fair underway in Algiers City, Algeria.

She said Namibia will continue to develop infrastructure to boost investment, with a focus on roads, rail and port facilities.

The Vice President stressed the urgent need to improve connectivity across the continent to drive economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Witbooi expressed concern over low levels of intra-African trade, attributing it to inadequate infrastructure and, in some cases, the logistical challenges of travelling between African countries. 

She highlighted the inconvenience that travellers often face, such as having to transit through Europe or the Middle East just to reach another African city, as a clear indicator of the continent's connectivity gap.

This reality, she noted, demands urgent and collective responsibility to enhance connectivity across Africa. 

The Chief Executive Officer of the Namibian Investment Promotion and Development Board said Namibia can avoid common pitfalls in the oil and gas sector by learning from established producers like Angola, Algeria and Nigeria.

Nangula Uaandja noted that industry experts from these countries have visited Namibia and are open to sharing their experiences.

This collaboration, Uaandja added, will also help advance the local content agenda by expanding the value chain within Namibia.

The session was meant to showcase Namibia as a preferred investment destination with the government's commitment to maintain a conducive and investor-friendly environment.