Bird/Powerlines Project

Please check out my Facebook group for Birds and Powerlines in Namibia Projects here https://www.facebook.com/groups/328568770522127/

Thanks.

Registering a business in Namibia

My challenge for the past few months have been to register my company in Namibia. Here is how it went.

You go to the Ministry of Trade and Industry located in the Government Park near NamPower in Town. At level 2 of the building, you ask for CC8 forms, where you fill in the name of your business and the type of operations. This form needs a Revenue Stamp (N$ 50.00) from the Post Office. The name is then reserved for 3 months long, while you look for an Accountant (part of the requirements), and they will charge you N$ 100 for their signature.

Finally you are required to hand in three "Blue Forms" that you also get from the Ministry and you need N$ 100 for each. One form stays with the Ministry of Trade, one goes to the Ministry of Finances and one is returned to you after registration is done. Registration is finished when you get a registration number, which means you can start your operations and pay your yearly dues to the Ministry at whichever time of the year you choose (this time have to be constant, I chose end of October each year). If you need to change the name of your business or any other amendments at all, you fill in three "Yellow Forms" and you need N$ 30 for all.

Registering you name does not mean that no one else can use it. If you register "Julia's Restaurant", someone else can be allowed to register "Julia's Bar" if they so wish. To protect the use of the name "Julia" means you have to patent (or copyright) it, which is also done at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

If you wish to apply for tenders in the country, this needs a separate registration, done with the Social Security Commission (SSC) of Namibia and this basically means you register as an employer. Do not worry about such stuff as employees tax or other taxes chargeable because a this point you are still considered as a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME). Income tax is only chargeable when your enterprise starts making N$ 300 000 or more of income per year.

If you wish to export or import anything into or out of the country, you register for the Export/Import Certificate with the Trade and Industry Ministry and this means you might not have to pay VAT depending on the level of moved goods.

This is all I have for you so far. I am currently in the process of registering with the SSC as well as for my Export/Import Certification and I will let you know how it goes once done. Wish me luck :-)