The Ondangwa Northern Tannery in Namibia is finally set to come back to life after being dormant for 15 years. The government on Friday 26th September finalised an agreement to revive the facility.
Originally built with an international loan of over $40 million Namibian Dollar (~US$ 2.3 Million), the tannery will now receive a multi-year investment of $58 million Namibian Dollar (~US$ 3.3 Million) from Desert Planet Industries (DPI).
DPI has signed a contract with the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy and the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida) to lease and restart operations. The tannery is expected to start manufacturing shoes by March 2026
“The agreement and revival of the tannery represent a beginning of new partnership, collaborative relationship and investment in our agro-processing value chain towards value addition and job creation,”
Natangwe Ithete, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy.
The tannery, inaugurated in 2002, was designed to transform raw cattle hides into high-value leather products for local use and export.
Ithete said the facility’s objectives remain valid and that the government worked hard to find partners for its revival.
“The signing of the agreement marks new beginnings and a pivotal moment in Namibia’s industrial revitalisation journey. We commit to unlocking value, restoring industrial capacity, bringing service to the people and creating sustainable employment opportunities in Namibia. We are committing to turning this facility into a thriving business empowering both our farmers, skilled and unskilled workers”
Natangwe Ithete, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy.
He urged stakeholders, including livestock farmers, local authorities and the public, to support the tannery by supplying hides and helping with logistics and labour.
Ithete also thanked the Oshana Regional Council under Hofni Iipinge, former industrialisation and trade minister Lucia Iipumbu and former Oshana governor Elia Irimari for laying the foundation for the tannery’s revival.
The Ondangwa Northern Tannery struggled in the past due to insufficient supply of hides despite a capacity to process 10 000 hides per month. With this new agreement, Namibia hopes to turn the facility into a key driver of industrial growth and job creation.
