SOEs restrict private players in economy

Tujoromajo Kasuto The World Bank Country Private Sector Diagnostic Report launched on Friday reveals that Namibia’s largely monopolistic market structure and dominant public sector create an uneven playing field for the private sector. According to the report, public enterprise or SOE sector dominance in a small economy like Namibia creates anti-competitive effects, particularly when SOEs operate in monopolistic and privileged positions in key sectors of the economy, as they do even in sectors where private participation could be more efficient and transformative. Given the small market size, the bank emphasizes that overall efficiency and productivity gains could be realized by…