Rooftech builds Namibia
PULL QUOTE: Haikali Ndatulumukwa, founder, Rooftech Namibia; “Until those basics are sorted, it will be very hard to reach the government’s housing goals...”
Rooftech Namibia is a 100% youth-owned manufacturing and supply company that produces steel roofing sheets and related construction materials for the Namibian market, including IBR, corrugated sheeting, lipped channel, steel nails, roof locks, wire and other products.
Founded by local entrepreneur Haikali Ndatulumukwa in January 2024, the company converts imported steel raw materials into finished roofing products used in residential, commercial and industrial buildings in Ondangwa.
Rooftech Namibia employs 16 people and focuses on local value addition, import substitution and cost efficiency. By manufacturing roofing materials locally, the company reduces reliance on fully imported finished products while improving affordability and availability for builders and contractors.
Inside the workshop, fully automated industrial machines, including roll-forming equipment, lipped channel machines, punching and bending machines, cranes and induction heating systems, operate continuously, creating a constant industrial hum.
In addition to manufacturing, Rooftech Namibia supplies complementary building materials and works closely with regional contractors, developers and hardware distributors. Its broader role is to strengthen Namibia’s construction supply chain through consistent local production, strict quality control and competitive pricing.
Customised production
Rooftech Namibia fills critical gaps in the country’s construction supply chain by offering locally manufactured steel roofing and related products, reducing dependence on imports that have traditionally caused long lead times, high costs and supply uncertainty.
“Unlike the old, rigid model where contractors had to buy fixed standard lengths and cut them on site, Rooftech offers customised production, manufacturing roofing sheets to exact specifications. This reduces waste, lowers installation costs and improves overall project efficiency. By producing climate-appropriate materials locally and strengthening domestic value addition, Rooftech is modernising Namibia’s construction supply chain while creating jobs and improving supply reliability for builders and developers,” Ndatulumukwa explains.
“Namibia can only address its housing shortage by moving away from slow, government-only building and instead delivering housing at scale through the private sector. That means mass-producing affordable homes using locally made materials to reduce costs and speed up delivery, while the government focuses on servicing land, fast-tracking approvals and setting clear regulatory frameworks,” he says.
“The most urgent challenges remain the shortage of serviced land, slow planning approvals, high construction costs driven by imports and the lack of affordable housing finance. Until these fundamentals are addressed, it will be very difficult to meet national housing targets, regardless of policy commitments.”
Expansion
For the remainder of the year, Rooftech Namibia is well-positioned to build on its early production momentum by expanding its manufacturing footprint and sales reach. The company has already achieved key quality certifications and has begun supplying both domestic and regional markets, including Angola and Zambia, suggesting growing demand for locally produced steel products as Namibia’s construction sector remains active, according to Ndatulumukwa.
Continued domestic demand for roofing and construction materials, alongside government and private-sector infrastructure projects, provides Rooftech with a practical growth runway, particularly if it secures additional working capital to scale production and service larger contracts.
