Trade Measures and Regulations

Anyone importing or exporting large amounts of cash or negotiable instruments through Namibia must declare them to Customs and Excise officers at the port.

The legislation prohibits the advertisement, sponsorship, and promotion of tobacco products. Specifically, no person may publish or broadcast advertisements related to tobacco use or utilize tobacco trademarks for advertising any organization or event. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, or retailers of tobacco products are banned from organizing or financially contributing to activities in Namibia.

Retailers can post signs indicating the availability and price of tobacco products at points of sale without violating this law. The sale or display of replica toys or candy products resembling tobacco is also prohibited. The Minister may issue regulations for phasing out existing sponsorships and addressing advertising matters.

Violations of these provisions can result in fines of up to N$200,000 or imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. Additionally, tobacco product packaging must include health warnings and specify the constituents present, with non-compliance also resulting in similar penalties.

The NAB can issue import permits for donated horticultural products for humanitarian purposes, but only after considering the local market impact. Importers must complete a form, provide required documents, and follow all import procedures, ensuring that the products are not sold in Namibia and comply with other regulatory requirements.

Animal feed imports like white maize, wheat, and pearl millet require NAB approval, but yellow maize can be imported without approval if it's not for human consumption. Importers must obtain an NAB trade import permit, pay permit fees, and ensure inspections by NAB inspectors, who will verify that the products are strictly for animal feed use. Importers are also responsible for inspection costs, and any other necessary permits must be obtained from relevant authorities.

Importing maize meal, wheat flour, and pearl millet flour into Namibia is generally not allowed unless decided otherwise by the board. However, certain specialised agronomic products can be imported with a special permit, and organic products are allowed if they have a third-party organic certificate and meet other requirements.

Import restrictions may apply to certain controlled products, and permits won't be issued for restricted or soon to be restricted products, with updates regularly published on the Board's website.

At the port of entry, the Border Control Inspector checks all documents to ensure that consignments of controlled products meet import permit conditions and regulations. If the consignment is cleared, it can proceed, but if it's rejected, it will be detained until the issues are resolved. After inland inspection, if the product meets requirements, it will be approved for further processing or distribution; otherwise, a rejection report is issued, and the importer must submit and execute a disposal plan within a set timeframe.