China Eximbank provides RMB 50 million loan for Northern Tannery and Leather Project

Project narrative

In March 2000, China Eximbank and the Government of Namibia signed an RMB 50 million loan for the Northern Tannery and Leather Project. The loan carried an 8 year maturity at a 4% interest rate. The Northern Tannery and Leather Project involved the construction of a modern tannery in Ondangwa in the north of Namibia. China Nanjing International Namibian Construction was the contractor responsible for implementation of the project. Construction began in 2000 and the facility was completed in April 2002. It was shut down in 2007 amid financial challenges. The Namibian government, particularly the Ministry of Industrialization and Trade and the Namibia Industrial Development Agency made plans to revive the tannery in 2016, sought private investors to fund and operate the tannery across 2019-2020, and coordinated a feasibility study in 2023. As of January 2025 the Ministry reported that the Northern Tannery remains non-operational due to "logistical hurdles, unutilised funds and a lack of consistent investors." The Chinese project title is 建的纳米比亚北方制革厂项目 or 中纳合作项目——北方制革.