By: David Shoombe
Despite the decline in global diamond demand, Namibia’s mining sector continues to show strong potential in Africa, particularly in rare earth and critical minerals. Mining Review Africa 2026 ranks Namibia number one among African countries with the highest mining potential.
The review notes that Namibia “hosts world-class uranium, lithium, rare earth elements, and copper resources.”
The evaluation also highlights long-life mining operations such as Husab and Rössing, which anchor Namibia’s role in the global nuclear fuel supply. In this context, Namibia is positioned to become a key supplier of critical minerals, driven by emerging lithium and rare earth developments in the Erongo Region.
Namibia’s ranking has, however, generated mixed reactions among the public, particularly regarding ownership and the actual benefits of mineral extraction for local communities. Daniel Boois, a mining researcher, states that “we must look beyond the numbers and statistics to understand who is truly benefitting from mineral discoveries in Namibia.”
Boois further notes that “although Namibia has produced significant metric tonnes of minerals over the years, the mining industry contributes between 12% and 14% to the national GDP; about half of what the informal economy contributes despite mining accounting for nearly 50% of Namibia’s export commodities.
He emphasises that “with the continued discovery of critical minerals such as lithium and rare earth elements, Namibia must learn from past mistakes and use its mineral resources to build sustainable industries.”
The 2025 Global Critical Minerals Outlook Report listed critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper as essential for clean and modern technologies, with demand expected to grow significantly as the global community targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Namibia’s wealth of these minerals positions it as an important player in the global mining sector.
The 2025 G20 Summit examined the role of critical minerals in African development and how they can be leveraged to advance domestic industrialisation. The establishment of the G20 Critical Minerals Framework aimed to “respond to the urgent need for international cooperation to secure sustainable, transparent, stable, and resilient critical minerals value chains that underpin industrialisation and sustainable development.”
The 2025 G20 Declaration further highlighted intentions to unlock investment in mineral exploration, promote local beneficiation at source, and strengthen governance for sustainable mining practices. In line with national development priorities, Namibia’s sixth National Development Plan (NDP 6) places emphasis on mineral beneficiation and value addition to enhance revenue collection from the mining sector.
According to a tantalum production report compiled by economic consultant in the mining sector, Epaphras Jonas, Namibia produced 142 tonnes of tantalum concentrate in 2023, representing 3.2% of global supply. The report further notes that with US$287 million in committed capital investment across four major projects, Namibia is well positioned to increase production to 380 tonnes annually by 2028, potentially capturing 8% of the global market.
The sector currently directly employs 1,840 workers and supports an estimated 6,200 indirect jobs across the Erongo and Kunene regions.
