Stand on any wharf at Walvis Bay on a typical morning, and before you is a harmony of world trade in process. Container vessels from far-off continents docked side by side with vessels from nearby harbours. Trucks line up in orderly fashion, their cargo bound for landlocked countries several hundred kilometres away from the ocean. Sea to sand, world supply chains to local demand, one man’s dream is redrawing the map of how an entire continent is flipping its commodities around.
African history today is unthinkable without knowledge of the relocation of the trade arteries, those conduits through which economic life flows across borders. In Southern Africa, where nature thus far has pitted trade against the apocalyptic obstacles, this evolution from integral transport systems to integrated logistics systems is a threshold that alters regional cooperation and economic integration.
Twenty-five years ago, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) was presented with a visionary challenge: to establish Namibia’s Atlantic gateway as a competitive transit route for an entire region. The numbers represent part of this meteoric story- from zero cargo volumes in 2000 to approximately 2.4 million tonnes today. But statistics can’t account for the extent of building confidence in rival countries or maintaining them in proper working conditions during recessions and international pandemics. That was done by a person who not only knew logistics but individuals, not only infrastructure but institutions, not only management but leadership in the truest sense of the term.
From Classroom to Crossroads
Mbahupu Hippy Tjivikua did not set out to revolutionize African logistics. His story begins in a mathematics and science classroom at Ella du Plessis Secondary School, where from 1998 to 2002, he shaped young minds. Those years teaching instilled in him something invaluable – the ability to simplify complexity, communicate a vision clearly, and develop others.
Born on July 30, 1973, Tjivikua pursued education with intensity. His academic journey took him from the University of Namibia, where he earned his Higher Education Diploma in 1997, to Rhodes University in South Africa for a Bachelor of Education with Honours in 2002. But his intellectual curiosity pushed him further across the Atlantic to Worcester, Massachusetts, where he pursued a Master of Science in Operations Management and Leadership at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, completing it in December 2006.
This was not merely an academic exercise. The program immersed him in the systematic study of how organizations function and how leadership shapes outcomes. His time in the United States also provided practical exposure through positions as a Marketing Researcher at Cubellis Associates Inc. in Boston and Business Development Consultant at Global Strategic Resources in Worcester. These experiences revealed how businesses identify opportunities and develop strategies, illuminating possibilities for African institutions.
When Tjivikua returned to Namibia with his master’s degree, he carried more than academic credentials. He brought a vision of what African institutions could become if they embraced strategic thinking and operational excellence. That precise path that would lead him to the pinnacle of corridor management achievement in Africa.
The Road That Changed Everything
In 2008, WBCG offered Tjivikua a position as Project Manager for Safe Trade and Transport Corridors. The role, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, focused on road safety and transportation infrastructure. On paper, it seemed like another development project. In reality, it became the gateway to his defining career.
Tjivikua discovered something unexpected- a sector where everything he had studied and experienced suddenly converged. His teaching background helped him understand capacity building. His operations management training provided frameworks for analyzing complex systems. And the project itself revealed something deeper: logistics and transportation are fundamentally about connecting people and enabling economic opportunity across borders.
“That opportunity exposed me to the critical role logistics and transport plays in regional development,” he recalls today. “From that moment on, I developed a deep passion for the industry and have never looked back.”
Tjivikua quickly grasped that Southern Africa’s landlocked nations depended entirely on efficient transport corridors to access global markets. A delay at a border crossing did not merely cause inconvenience to a truck driver; it rippled through supply chains and ultimately affected the price consumers paid for goods. His three years with WBCG from 2008 to 2011 taught him that successful corridor management required equal parts technical expertise, diplomatic skill, and strategic vision.
Building Expertise Through Rail
In May 2011, TransNamib, Namibia’s state-owned railway company, appointed Tjivikua as Senior Manager for Operations. The move deepened his understanding of how railways form the backbone of efficient bulk cargo transport. Managing rail operations meant grappling with equipment maintenance, scheduling coordination, safety protocols, and workforce management.
His performance led to his appointment as Acting Chief Executive Officer in October 2014, a role he held until April 2017 while simultaneously serving as Executive for Strategy and Stakeholder Management from December 2013 to April 2019. This dual responsibility demanded extraordinary balancing skills- addressing immediate operational challenges while positioning the company for long-term success.
During this period, Tjivikua also served as a part-time lecturer at the Namibia University of Science and Technology from February 2016 to May 2019, teaching business, strategic management, leadership, and quality management systems. The role kept him connected to emerging talent and reflected his belief that developing the next generation was as important as managing current operations.
By the time he completed a brief stint as TransNamib’s Executive for Commercial and Marketing from May to September 2019, Tjivikua had accumulated a comprehensive understanding of transportation operations, strategic management, and organizational leadership. His education continued throughout this period, with certificates in Project Management from the University of Stellenbosch Business School in 2009 and Financial Management from the Polytechnic of Namibia in 2010. In 2023, he attended training on Port Business Analysis Development and Marketing at the Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center in Belgium.
Coming Home to Lead
When Tjivikua returned to the Walvis Bay Corridor Group as Chief Executive Officer in October 2019, he came as a fundamentally different professional than the project manager who had left eight years earlier. His decade at TransNamib had forged him in the fires of operational leadership and strategic management.
He arrived with a clear philosophy: “I’ve learned not to take work personally, but to give my very best in everything I do. Hard work is an investment; when done smartly, diligently and with purpose, it yields significant and lasting returns.”
This philosophy translated into immediate action. He focused on building a “high-performance culture” within WBCG- an environment where excellence is expected, innovation is encouraged, and results matter. Under his leadership, WBCG has solidified its position as the best corridor management institution in Africa. Cargo volumes have grown steadily to approximately 2.4 million tonnes. Perhaps most importantly, stakeholder relationships have matured into strategic partnerships that extend across the region and beyond.
The Test of Crisis
Just months into his tenure, Tjivikua faced an unprecedented test. The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on logistics was immediate and devastating. Lockdowns closed borders. Movement restrictions halted truck traffic. For WBCG, whose entire mandate centered on facilitating the movement of goods across borders, the pandemic represented an existential challenge.
Tjivikua and his team implemented strategic interventions to maintain the flow of essential goods while protecting workers and communities. They developed protocols for safe operations and coordinated with governments across the region. The corridor, against enormous odds, continued to function.
But the crisis became intensely personal. Tjivikua contracted a severe case of COVID-19 that threatened his life. He survived, but the experience left an indelible mark. “That experience deepened my resolve to lead with resilience and purpose,” he reflects. The crisis taught him that leadership is not just about strategy and execution but also about courage in the face of uncertainty and resilience when confronting adversity.
Architecting the Future
Today, Tjivikua’s strategy for WBCG reflects both his accumulated expertise and his vision for Southern Africa’s economic future. The organization focuses on creating conditions for new industries and expanded trade by developing sectors that generate cargo demand: oil and gas, special economic zones, agro-processing, agricultural value chains, manufacturing, water and energy infrastructure, as well as value addition and beneficiation of raw materials.
Technology and innovation sit at the heart of this strategy. WBCG is introducing technologies supported by artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and streamline transactions. Green logistics solutions address environmental concerns while improving operational performance. One of Tjivikua’s key advocacy priorities is the implementation of One-Stop Border Posts across the Walvis Bay Corridors. As part of this advocacy success, last year, the governments of the Republic of Namibia and the Republic of Botswana launched the pilot One-Stop Border Post at the Trans-Kalahari/Mamuno border post.
What distinguishes WBCG from other corridor initiatives is execution. “We walk the talk and deliver on our commitments,” he states plainly. The organization has built its reputation on reliability, efficiency, safety, and security. Most distinctively, WBCG operates through a public private partnership model that brings together government and business in shared value creation.
Tjivikua’s influence extends well beyond WBCG. Since 2025, he has served as Director of the Namibia Reinsurance Corporation Ltd. His 2020 appointment as Director of the Namibia Trade Forum positions him at the intersection of trade policy and logistics implementation. He serves on the Transport Evolution Africa Advisory Board, the Namibia Blue Economy Expert and Advisory Council Group, and the Southern Africa Customs Union Committee of Senior Officials on Trade Facilitation, all since 2020.
Cultivating the Next Generation
Despite his demanding schedule, Tjivikua remains deeply committed to developing future logistics professionals. His message to young people is urgent: “Africa is on the cusp of significant growth, with major projects underway in port expansion, road infrastructure, rail upgrades, aviation, airport development, warehousing, and freight forwarding. My advice is to embrace these opportunities, whether as entrepreneurs, professionals, or academics.”
He particularly emphasizes inclusion: “We especially want to see micro, small, and medium enterprises, as well as women and youth, actively participate in shaping this industry.”
Vision for a Continental Future
When Tjivikua considers WBCG’s trajectory over the coming decade, his vision extends beyond Africa. He aims to build stronger trade and logistics linkages with the Americas, Europe, and Asia, positioning Namibia and the Walvis Bay Corridors as the preferred trade route to and from Southern Africa. This vision aligns with national priorities under President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Tjivikua understands that his work contributes to something larger than WBCG. Every delay reduced at a border crossing makes businesses more competitive. Every improvement in safety standards protects workers and communities. Every ton of cargo moved efficiently generates economic activity, creates jobs, and contributes to revenues that fund schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.
A Journey Still Unfolding
Tjivikua embodies a distinctly African leadership model- one that combines global education with deep local knowledge, strategic vision with operational expertise, and unwavering commitment to institutional excellence while never losing sight of broader developmental impacts. His journey from mathematics teacher to logistics leader illustrates how careers evolve through embracing opportunities, developing capabilities, and maintaining focus on meaningful impact.
He credits all of his accomplishments to God Almighty, his wife and children as well as his family, and a strong network of supportive friends.
The transformation of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group required many hands and many minds, but leadership matters. Tjivikua brought to WBCG not just management skills but vision, not just operational knowledge but strategic clarity, not just personal ambition but commitment to institutional excellence and regional development. As African logistics continues its evolution, leaders like him prove essential to translating potential into reality, helping to write the next chapter of African development, one shipment, one innovation, one strategic decision at a time.
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