Namibia’s exports increased to N$67.2 billion during the first half of 2026, up N$3.1 billion or 7.6% from the same period last year, driven by strong demand for uranium, gold, fish, diamonds and nickel ores.
According to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s (NSA) International Merchandise Trade Statistics Bulletin for June 2026, exports totalled N$12.9 billion in June, representing a 1.2% increase from May and a year-on-year improvement over June 2025.
Imports, however, continued to outpace exports, reaching N$87.2 billion during the first six months of the year, compared with N$72.8 billion in the corresponding period of 2025. The increase was largely driven by higher imports of petroleum oils, sulphur and iron pyrites, nickel ores and concentrates, commercial vehicles and fertilisers.
The NSA said Namibia recorded a trade deficit of N$5.5 billion in June, with imports amounting to N$18.3 billion, the highest monthly import bill on record.
“In June 2026, Namibia’s trade developments revealed that exports amounted to N$12.9 billion, while imports were higher at N$18.3 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of N$5.5 billion. This reflects a worsening trade balance compared to the N$3.2 billion deficit recorded in May 2026 and the N$669 million surplus recorded in June 2025,” the agency said.
Mining remained the country’s largest export sector, contributing N$6.7 billion, or 52.1% of total exports in June. Manufacturing accounted for N$5.6 billion (43.1%), while agriculture, forestry and fishing contributed N$541 million (4.2%).
Fish remained Namibia’s leading non-mineral export, generating N$1.39 billion, or 10.8% of total exports, with Zambia, Spain and Italy among the main export destinations.
Precious stones, including diamonds, earned N$1.32 billion, accounting for 10.3% of exports, while nickel ores and concentrates also generated N$1.32 billion, with exports destined mainly for Canada, Finland and China.
“Together, these five commodities accounted for 65.5% of Namibia’s total exports, highlighting the continued dominance of mineral resources in the country’s export earnings,” the NSA said.
China remained Namibia’s largest export market, accounting for 26.3% of total exports, followed by South Africa (18.7%), Zambia, Botswana and Finland.
On the import side, petroleum oils remained the largest import category at N$4.04 billion, representing 22.1% of total imports. The products were sourced mainly from the United States and Oman.
Other major imports included sulphur and iron pyrites valued at N$1.2 billion, nickel ores and concentrates at N$969 million, commercial motor vehicles at N$902 million, and fertilisers at N$849 million.
South Africa remained Namibia’s largest source of imports, accounting for 28.6% of total imports, followed by the United States (17.8%), China, Oman and Zambia.
