By: Ecofin agency

The Dr. Hage G. Geingob Highway, inaugurated on Monday, Nov. 10, marks a major step in the modernization of Namibia’s transport and logistics network. The 47.5-kilometer road is expected to play a key role in improving urban mobility and strengthening regional trade links.

The project cost N$3.5 billion (about $205 million) and was financed in several stages between 2016 and 2021. Funding came from local public sources, and a Chinese contribution of around 447 million yuan (about $62.9 million) was  provided through the Zhong Mei Engineering Group.

Until now, the trip between central Windhoek and Hosea Kutako International Airport, the country’s main international gateway, took nearly an hour, slowing trade and air-freight operations. The new highway cuts the journey to just over 20 minutes, improving the movement of passengers and goods and easing access to industrial areas on the outskirts of the capital. The project supports Namibia’s goal of positioning Windhoek as a competitive regional logistics hub.

Beyond easing urban travel, the highway forms part of a wider strategy to develop the Kalahari transport corridor, a priority route for the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The corridor is intended to link Namibia with Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, giving these landlocked countries direct access to the port of Walvis Bay.

By connecting Hosea Kutako Airport more efficiently with regional highways, Namibia is strengthening its position as a viable logistics alternative to South Africa’s main transport routes. For landlocked neighbors, it offers a strategic option for imports and exports.

The opening of the highway coincides with a broader plan to upgrade national transport infrastructure. This includes the expansion of Hosea Kutako Airport with a new terminal by 2030 and improvements to key road links leading to Walvis Bay. The new highway widens road-transport options and sets the stage for a more integrated multimodal transport system across the country.