AfCFTA engagement is gaining momentum
Namibia’s engagement with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is gaining momentum, marked by both statistical significance and real trade execution.
In May, Namibia exported goods worth N$5.3 billion to the African continent while importing N$5.7 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of N$421 million. Intra-African exports accounted for 44.9% of total exports, while 49.0% of total imports originated from the continent, emphasising the central role of African markets in Namibia’s trade structure.
Top intra-African export destinations included South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, the DRC, and Zimbabwe, with key exports comprising fish, precious metals, salt, and base mineral products. On the import side, Namibia sourced nickel ores, base metals, petroleum oils, and motor vehicles primarily from South Africa, Zambia, the DRC, and Morocco.
A milestone development in Namibia’s AfCFTA journey was recorded in June, when Walvis Bay Salt Holdings completed the country’s first official export under the AfCFTA framework. The shipment, consisting of 45,000 tonnes of industrial salt to Nigeria, departed via the Port of Walvis Bay, highlighting the port’s strategic value as a regional trade hub and Namibia’s operational readiness to trade under AfCFTA protocols.
As AfCFTA implementation deepens, Namibia stands to benefit from broader market access for manufactured and agricultural products, improved port utilisation, especially Walvis Bay as a gateway for landlocked countries, and private sector opportunities in logistics, transport, and cross-border trade facilitation.
To maximise these gains, continued investment is required in trade logistics infrastructure, regulatory harmonisation, and export readiness support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Ensuring Namibia can scale participation across multiple product lines under AfCFTA will be critical to driving inclusive, trade-led growth on the continent.
Namibia’s trade sector registered a modest yet symbolically important surplus of N$121 million in May 2025, breaking a prolonged streak of monthly deficits and marking the first trade surplus since June 2020 (N$337 million). This turnaround is particularly striking when compared to the N$1.8 billion deficit in April 2025 and the N$3.4 billion shortfall in May 2024, signalling a shift in momentum for the external sector.
The improvement in the trade balance was underpinned by a strong recovery in exports, notably from the mining and extractive sectors, while import demand softened, reflecting lower fuel inflows and moderating domestic consumption.
On a cumulative basis, exports for the year-to-date reached N$53.7 billion, up from N$44.8 billion over the same period in 2024, an increase that continues to highlight the country’s structural reliance on mineral exports as its key growth driver. Imports, meanwhile, stood at N$62.9 billion, slightly above the N$61.8 billion recorded a year earlier, affirming Namibia’s continued dependence on foreign goods, particularly industrial equipment, fuel, and intermediate inputs.
Export performance in May was particularly strong, rising to N$11.8 billion, representing a 7.3% increase month-on-month and an impressive 25.8% jump year-on-year. Namibia expanded its trading reach, exporting goods to 103 countries, up from 98 in the prior month, which emphasises its growing global footprint. Leading the surge was uranium, with exports increasing by N$590 million, reflecting firm global demand in the energy sector.
–Simonis Storm Securities
