Key facts
Key facts for business in Namibia
The short answer
We could not confirm the company registry’s website for Namibia. Tax authority: Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA). Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Namibia before you act.
| Legal system | Mixed (Roman-Dutch common law, English-influenced, with customary law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English |
| Currency | Namibia dollar (NAD) |
| Regional blocs | SADC |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Ratified (instrument deposited) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Not a party (checked October 2026) |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Signed in 1998, not ratified |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Party – in force since 30 Jan 2001 |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in Namibia
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Investment promotion | Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) | nipdb.com |
| Tax | Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) | namra.org.na |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Bank of Namibia | bon.com.na |
| Work and residence permits | Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) | eservices.mhaiss.gov.na |
| Courts and justice | Office of the Judiciary | judiciary.na |
We could not confirm an official website for: registering a company. We only link to sites we could open and confirm as the body’s own in October 2026.
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by national company law.
- Register the business. Company registration: the national company registry.
- Register for tax. Tax registration: Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA).
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS).
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Bank of Namibia) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Namibia is not a party to the New York Convention – take advice on how a foreign judgment or award would be enforced.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in Namibia for business matters
Cronjé Inc
Windhoek
Engling, Stritter & Partners
Windhoek
Fisher, Quarmby & Pfeifer
Windhoek, Swakopmund
3 firms in Namibia list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Namibia.
Checking a lawyer in Namibia
Who admits lawyers: Law Society of Namibia (fidelity fund certificates, discipline); admission by the High Court of Namibia under the Legal Practitioners Act, 1995
Professional title: Legal Practitioner
Contact the Law Society of Namibia ([email protected]) to confirm the practitioner is admitted and holds a current fidelity fund certificate.
We could not confirm every detail from official sources, so use this as a starting point.
Sources: lawsocietynamibia.org. Checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Questions
Doing business in Namibia: questions
Is Namibia a party to the New York Convention?
No, according to the UNCITRAL status table checked October 2026.
Does Namibia accept apostilles?
Yes – Namibia is a party to the Apostille Convention, in force since 30 Jan 2001 (HCCH status table). A public document from another member state needs only an apostille from the issuing country.
What currency is used in Namibia?
Namibia dollar (NAD).