Namibia paper recycling plant hits funding wall

• By Kaipaherue Kandjii

A plan to set up a paper recycling plant in the Omaheke region has hit a stumbling block due to a lack of funding.

The founder of the firm, Namibia Pulp Paper, Hiskia Tjatjitua, has secured funds from commercial Banks, in principle, but has yet to garner approximately N$ 24 million as his contribution to conclude the deal.

Tjatjitua approached various entities, including politicians, to solicit support, but to no avail, and now fears losing the pledge of monetary support from the lenders.

Namibia, to date, has no such plant and imports much of its paper from South Africa and elsewhere.

The financing challenge is a result of colonially adopted regulatory frameworks adopted by all capital financing institutions requiring a 30% contribution from the businesses. 

“I explored the idea further of producing raw material from waste papers and converting toilet paper and paper-related products when I visited factories in India and South Africa that are producing these products. This was an eye-opener for an opportunity unexploited here in Namibia. In 2003, I also, through the assistance of the government, went to Angola, touring paper product manufacturing companies and familiarising myself with the operations of the paper converting industry,” said Tjatjitua.

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