Although Namibia’s export basket remains dominated by mineral products, recent trade statistics indicate that non-mineral sectors are making a meaningful contribution to export growth.
Fish, fruit and nuts were the only non-mineral products among the country’s top five exports, underlining the growing role of agriculture and fisheries in supporting export earnings.
This is according to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s (NSA) 2025 Namibia International Merchandise Trade Statistics Bulletin.
The report states that the substantial increase of N$345 million in fruit and nut exports indicates the impact of seasonal agricultural production , particularly table grapes.
This suggests that Namibia’s agricultural exports are becoming an important source of foreign earnings during peak harvest periods.
At the same time, fish exports rose by N$84 million, confirming the sector’s continued relevance as a stable export contributor outside mining.
Overall export growth during the month was led by precious stones, especially diamonds, which increased by N$643 million.
However, the combined rise in fruit and nuts, fish and base metal ores and copper indicate a broader export base.
Ores and concentrates of base metals increased by N$94 million, while copper and articles of copper rose by N$88 million, reflecting improved performance across both mineral and non-mineral categories.
A closer analysis of food trade reveals a positive structural position for Namibia.
The country recorded a food trade surplus of N$870 million, meaning food exports significantly exceeded food imports.
This surplus highlights Namibia’s comparative advantage in selected food products, particularly fish and fresh produce.
In contrast, the beverage sector recorded a trade deficit of N$203 million, showing continued reliance on imports to meet domestic demand.
“Namibia’s trade balance showed a strong improvement in December 2025. The country recorded a trade deficit of N$393 million, a significant improvement from the N$4.4 billion deficit recorded in November 2025. On a year-on-year basis, Namibia posted a surplus of N$297 million, reflecting stronger trade performance,” states the report.
The improvement was driven by higher export earnings and a sharp decline in imports during the month.
Namibia’s export value for December 2025 stood at N$10.7 billion, representing an increase of 7.5% compared to November 2025.
Exports were largely supported by the mining sector, with non-monetary gold, precious stones (diamonds) and uranium dominating the export basket.
The analysis of Namibia’s top trading partners revealed that South Africa emerged as the country’s largest market for both exports and imports.
In terms of goods, the country’s export basket for December 2025 was mainly composed of commodities from the mining sector, such as non-monetary gold, precious stones (diamonds) and uranium.
Fish and ‘fruit and nuts’ were the only non-mineral products among the top five exports.
Moreover, decreases of 5.3% and 38.7% were observed in re-exports, month-on-month and year-on-year, respectively.
“The re-export basket primarily comprised of precious stones (diamonds), petroleum oils, nickel ores and concentrates, ores and concentrates of base metals and fertilisers. On the other hand, the import basket mainly comprised of petroleum oils, motor vehicles (for commercial purposes), nickel ores and concentrates, civil engineering and contractors’ equipment as well as motor vehicles for the transportation of persons,” NSA said.
-pmukokobi@nepc.com.na