Reflections on the National MSMEs Festival 2026

The strength of any economy lies in the combination of its businesses, from micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to large national and international corporations.

Together with Government agencies and non-profit organisations, they improve lives by providing goods and services that meet societal needs.

The recent National MSME Festival 2026, hosted by the Ministry of Finance through the Financial Literacy Initiative (FLI), was a powerful reminder that “being in business is serious business.”

Over three days from 24 to 26 June 2026 in Windhoek, MSME owners and entrepreneurs gathered to network, learn from experts, and pitch their ventures.

As someone who attended all three days and helped prepare entrepreneurs for their pitching sessions, I was deeply impressed by the organisers' commitment and the participants' passion.

The festival reinforced a truth I hold strongly: entrepreneurship is not just about profit; it is about survival, growth, and opportunity. In Namibia, where unemployment stands at 37% and youth unemployment at 44%, entrepreneurship offers a lifeline. It creates jobs, builds wealth, and reduces poverty. Researchers worldwide describe entrepreneurs as agents of change: individuals who innovate, take risks, and create value. At the festival, I saw MSME participants grappling with these realities, testing their ideas against market needs, and striving to align innovation with opportunity.

Creativity and Innovation as Recurring Themes

My experience at the festival reminded me that success in entrepreneurship is rarely accidental. In Namibia and elsewhere, it requires passion, creativity, persistence, and leadership. Yet, challenges remain – lack of finance, limited access to markets, inadequate technology, and human-resource constraints.

As someone who teaches Business Operations Management and Systems Thinking at the university level, I know for a fact that these are not problems anyone can solve alone; rather, they demand strategic support from Government, development agencies, and other stakeholders.

I was particularly struck by how creativity and innovation emerged as recurring themes. My understanding tells me that true innovation is not just unconventional; it must be practical, usable, and capable of solving real problems. The barriers to creativity, whether social, economic, or environmental, must be addressed if entrepreneurs are to thrive.

Theories such as Maasdorp and Van Vuuren’s Model of Entrepreneurial Development resonate strongly with my observations. Indeed, if we are going to realise our country’s national development aspirations, particularly in entrepreneurship, our national approach should highlight three critical elements:

• Culture, family, education, and role models shape entrepreneurial orientation.
• Supportive environment: infrastructure, finance, mentoring, and training.
• Cooperative environment: universities and institutions actively promoting entrepreneurship through research and education.

The 2026 MSME Festival embodied these principles by offering a platform for collaboration, learning, and support.

Attending the festival reaffirmed my belief that entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of Namibia’s economic future. Larger corporations were once small ventures, and today’s MSMEs can flourish if given the right tools, networks, and support structures.

The most important takeaway is that entrepreneurship is not distant or abstract; it begins in our communities, in our families, and in our everyday choices. If we invest in supportive structures and nurture entrepreneurial spirit, Namibia can unlock its full potential, reduce unemployment, and build a more inclusive economy.

Michael Neema is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Commerce, Human Sciences, and Education at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).