The domestic mining sector continues to drive the national economy, generating N$52.3 billion in revenue and contributing 13.3% to the gross domestic product (GDP) in the most recent fiscal year.
This marks a milestone in the country’s economic performance, reinforcing mining as the backbone of Namibia’s industrial output and trade.
The sector also recorded strong employment growth, creating more than 2 600 new jobs and pushing total direct employment to 20 843 – a 14.6% increase from the previous year. This comes as global demand for Namibia’s mineral exports remains robust, particularly in uranium, gold, and diamond markets.
According to the latest trade statistics released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), mining dominated the country’s export profile for June, with uranium, non-monetary gold, precious stones (diamonds), and copper leading in value. Fish was the only non-mineral commodity among the top five exports, highlighting Namibia’s ongoing dependence on natural resource extraction to sustain its economy.
NSA statistician-general and chief executive officer, Alex Shimuafeni, emphasized the central role of mining in Namibia’s trade dynamics.
“Our export composition continues to reflect the country’s rich endowment of natural resources. Uranium, gold, and diamonds remain the key contributors, while copper and copper products have also shown steady gains,” he stated.
He added that re-exports saw a decline in both month-on-month and year-on-year comparisons, dropping by 5.0% and 7.9%, respectively. The primary goods in the re-export’s basket included copper, nickel ores, petroleum oils, and base metal ores, underscoring the country’s role as a transit point for key minerals and products bound for regional markets.
Despite this downturn in re-exports, Namibia’s trade in mineral resources remained robust, with copper, nickel, and petroleum oils continuing to play a central role in the nation’s trade dynamics. However, the decrease in re-exports may be indicative of softer demand or disruptions in the global supply chain for these goods.
On the imports side, petroleum oils remained the top category, with Namibia importing N$1.6 billion worth of petroleum products, primarily from Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. This high import figure reflects the country’s dependence on international markets for its energy needs.
“Motor vehicles, both for commercial purposes and the transportation of persons, were also significant contributors to the country’s import bill. In addition to petroleum and vehicles, ores and concentrates of base metals, as well as nickel ores, were also prominent in the import basket,” he said.
Namibia’s trade in food items revealed a favourable balance, with the country recording a food export surplus of N$619 million in June 2025. In contrast, the trade balance for beverages showed a negative trend, with Namibia importing more than it exported, resulting in a beverage trade deficit of N$186 million.
“The report highlighted petroleum oils as the commodity of the month. Namibia’s imported petroleum oils worth N$1.6 billion, sourced largely from Middle East countries such as Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. In contrast, Namibia’s petroleum oil exports were valued at N$335 million, primarily in the form of re-exports to neighbouring countries like Botswana and Zambia,” he said.
He added that, Namibia’s trade balance posted a remarkable surplus of N$856 million in June 2025, marking a substantial increase compared to a revised surplus of N$341 million in May 2025 and a deficit of N$762 million recorded in June 2024.
This improvement in the trade balance highlights a strong performance in exports, largely driven by commodities from the mining sector. China remained Namibia’s top export destination, while South Africa continued to be the dominant source of imports.