28/10/2026
SME FUND CHELETE CAGE | Fourteen Businesses Awarded Grants to Advance SME Projects
Fourteen Namibian businesses took the next step in their growth journeys yesterday, 27 October 2026, at the inaugural SME Fund Chelete Cage Pitch Event at the NIPDB Head Office in Windhoek.
Selected from close to 900 applications, the entrepreneurs represented all 14 regions and pitched their businesses across three sessions. Each secured grant funding ranging from N$65,000 to N$100,000, marking the completion of the SME Fund’s first funding cycle.
Implemented under the ProSME Project, the Fund was created in partnership with the National Planning Commission, GIZ and the NIPDB, with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The initiative supports the NIPDB’s mandate to develop competitive Namibian MSMEs and promote exports by combining access to finance with practical business support.
The support does not end with the grant. The first cohort will also receive enterprise development assistance to strengthen their operations, increase turnover and improve their readiness to access further financing. Their businesses span agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, tourism, education, the creative industries and other sectors.
As NIPDB Acting CEO, Ms. Julia Muetudhana, noted: “Every one of those nearly 900 applications represents a person with an idea, a family that depends on a business, and a community that stands to benefit if that business grows.”
Congratulations to the first cohort of SME Fund beneficiaries!
Further funding calls are planned. Visit smefund.na for application guidance, the self-eligibility tool and updates, and follow the NIPDB’s social media platforms for upcoming opportunities.
Meet the grant recipients and read the full story here: https://www.nipdb.com/post/fourteen-msmes-from-all-regions-awarded-sme-fund-grants-at-chelete-cage
