— COMPANY DIRECTORY
Latvian Companies in Southern Africa
A directory of Latvian businesses with confirmed operations, exports, or partnerships in SADC member states. Every entry includes sources.
12
Companies
9
SADC Countries Reached
12
Sectors
— TIER 1
Established Operations
Direct operations, long-running exports, or licensed partners in SADC.
Networking
MikroTik
Distributors Across Africa • €130M in Telecom Equipment to SA (Eurostat)
Latvian networking equipment company used by ISPs worldwide. Distributors across Southern Africa including MiRO, Switchcom, and Even Flow Distribution in South Africa. Core infrastructure for ISPs across the continent.
SADC Presence
Sources
Telecom
SAF Tehnika
130+ Countries • Nasdaq Riga Listed • Africa Sales Team
Riga-based manufacturer of microwave data transmission equipment. Used by telecom operators and ISPs across Africa for wireless backhaul and last-mile connectivity.
SADC Presence
Wood Products
Latvijas Finieris
50+ Export Countries • €22M in Wood Products to SADC (Eurostat)
Europe's largest birch plywood manufacturer, exporting under the Riga Wood brand to South Africa and beyond. 309K m³ plywood sold in 2024, a company record.
SADC Presence
Agriculture
LATRAPS
€254M Turnover • Nasdaq Baltic Bonds • Africa as Main Market
Latvia's largest farmer-owned cooperative. Exports wheat, rapeseed, peas, and beans by Panamax vessel from Riga port to South Africa, Mozambique, and Madagascar. Listed bonds on Nasdaq Baltic in March 2025.
SADC Presence
Sources
Pharma
Grindeks
WHO-Prequalified • Injectable Medicines to Tanzania & Zimbabwe
The largest pharmaceutical company in the Baltics. WHO-prequalified supplier of injectable medicines including oxytocin. Products reach Tanzania and Zimbabwe via UNFPA and UNICEF distribution networks. Expanding to new export markets in 2025.
SADC Presence
Food Export
Dobeles Dzirnavnieks
Largest Pasta Producer in Northern Europe • Exports to South Africa
Major flour and pasta exporter. So much product flows to South Africa that ITAC (International Trade Administration Commission) launched an anti-dumping investigation in 2020, with SARS imposing provisional duties in 2021.
SADC Presence
Horticulture
Laflora
90–95% Production Exported • Supplies Mozambique & SA Growing Industry
Latvian peat substrate manufacturer. 90–95% of production goes to export. Supplies growing media to Mozambique and South Africa's horticultural sectors.
SADC Presence
Construction
Primekss (PrimX)
Licensee in SA Since 2014 • 27 Countries • 70% CO₂ Reduction
Latvian industrial concrete flooring technology. Has had a licensee partner in South Africa since 2014, delivering jointless steel-fibre-reinforced floors. Operates in 27 countries with up to 70% CO₂ reduction vs traditional methods.
SADC Presence
iGaming
Evolution
SA National Manufacturer Licence • Western Cape Gambling Board
World's largest live casino provider, headquartered in Riga. Holds a South African National Manufacturer licence from the Western Cape Gambling Board. Riga studios serve the regulated SA online gaming market.
SADC Presence
— TIER 2
Growing Presence
Confirmed clients, partnerships, or active market exploration in SADC.
Software
flex.bi
BI Platform • SA Client: Digicape (Apple Premium Reseller)
Riga-based business intelligence platform. Has a documented South African client — Digicape, an Apple Premium Reseller — and an expanding partner network across Africa.
SADC Presence
Sources
CleanTech
AdvanGrid
Met Zimbabwe Parliament Speaker • LIAA-Supported Exploration
Riga-based IoT energy monitoring company. Met the Speaker of the Zimbabwe Parliament during a Latvian IT Cluster delegation at the Latvia-Africa Forum 2025. Actively exploring the Zimbabwe market with LIAA support.
SADC Presence
Fintech
CreamFinance / Capitec
Capitec Bank (SA) Invested €21M for 40% Stake in Latvian Fintech
South Africa's Capitec Bank made its first-ever foreign acquisition in 2017, investing €21M for a 40% stake in Latvian online lender CreamFinance (now AvaFin). A sign that capital flows both ways in the Latvia–SADC corridor.
SADC Presence
— INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
Institutional Framework
Latvia's engagement with Southern Africa is backed by a growing institutional framework. The Latvia–Africa Forum has run twice: in 2024 (18 countries, 100+ participants) and 2025 (focused on digital cooperation). The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) actively promotes Latvian exports to Africa through trade missions and matchmaking.
On the trade side, the EU–SADC EPA has provided duty-free access since 2016 for goods from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini (BLNS), and Mozambique. The SME Aisle project (2018–2022) connected 32 Baltic SMEs with partners in Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia.
Latvia joined the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in March 2025, signaling a more structured approach to development cooperation with the Global South.
Sources: MFA Latvia, FPRI “Latvia and Africa: An Untrodden Road” (July 2024)
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