By: Nghinomenwa-vali Hangala
An analysis of Namibia’s 2024 trade dynamics with one of its main trade partners, China, shows that the country mostly exports raw minerals, and in return, it imports finished products.
This is in line with the overall picture of Namibia’s trade dynamics, which shows the same picture over the years, where the top 5 exports are mostly raw minerals.
Trade analyst Maria Immanuel, using the country trade statistics for 2024 with a focus on one of Namibia’s trade partners, China, revealed that 80% of Namibia’s exports to China are from the mining and quarrying sector, while 98% of Namibia’s imports from China are finished or manufactured products.
This highlights the country’s value addition and processing vulnerability.
Immanuel’s analysis shows that Namibia exported commodities from the mining and quarrying sector to China worth N$18 billion last year.
This export is dominated by uranium, which constitutes 88% of total exports, while importing N$17 billion worth of manufactured products from China.
Immanuel’s analysis mirrors various monthly reports from the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA).
For May 2025, NSA’s analysis of Namibia’s trade (with a focus on its top trading partners) revealed that China emerged as the leading export destination, while South Africa remained the primary source for domestic imports.
The country’s export composition for May 2025 was concentrated in commodities from the mining sector, for instance Uranium, non-monetary gold, precious stones (diamonds), as well as ‘Copper and articles thereof.
Fish was the only non-mineral product amongst the top five exports.
On the other hand, the import basket mainly comprised petroleum oils, nickel ores and concentrates, Ores and concentrates of base metals, other machinery and equipment specialised for particular industries, and civil engineering and contractors’ equipment.
According to the NSA, uranium was Namibia’s largest exported commodity in May 2025, accounting for 29.3 percent of total exports, largely demanded by China.
Non-monetary gold came in second, accounting for 14.3 percent of total exports, solely destined for South Africa.
Fish occupied the third position, accounting for 10.3 percent of total exports, destined mainly for the Spanish, Zambian, and Italian markets.
Precious stones (diamonds) ranked fourth, accounting for 10.2 percent, with the commodity mainly destined for Botswana, the United Arab Emirates, and Belgium. erastus@thevillager.com.na
