Chamwe Kaira
Walvis Bay handled exports worth N$7.3 billion in October, confirming its position as Namibia’s main gateway for trade. Data from the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) shows that Eros Airport followed at N$2.9 billion, while the Katima Mulilo border post handled N$1.1 billion in export goods.
Walvis Bay also led on the import side, processing N$5.5 billion worth of goods. Ariamsvlei ranked second with N$3.3 billion, and the Trans Kalahari border post handled N$2.6 billion in imports.
Sea transport carried most export goods. In October 2025, Namibia shipped N$7.4 billion worth of exports by sea, making up 56% of total export value.
These goods included uranium, copper ores and concentrates, and fish. Air transport made up 25.1%, driven by non-monetary gold and diamonds. Road transport accounted for 18.9%, mainly fish, petroleum oils, and fertilisers.
Namibia exported 386 215 tonnes of goods during the month, up 81.5% from September and 7.8% from a year earlier. Sea transport carried 207 563 tonnes, while 178 417 tonnes moved by road. Air cargo remained low at 94 tonnes.
Road transport dominated imports, with goods valued at N$9.1 billion, the highest road-import figure recorded since January 2025. Key items included nickel ores and concentrates, alcoholic beverages, and commercial motor vehicles. Sea transport followed with 35.2% of import value, led by petroleum oils, fertilisers, and railway construction material. Air imports made up 8%, driven by diamonds, medicaments, and telecommunication equipment.
Total import volume reached 587 922 tonnes, up 22.6% from September and 11.3% from October 2024. Sea imports totalled 335 173 tonnes, road imports 252 487 tonnes, and air imports 182 tonnes.
These trade patterns unfolded as Namibia continued to engage in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to remove trade barriers and boost intra-African commerce. Namibia exported N$5.6 billion worth of goods to African countries in October and imported N$7.6 billion, creating a trade deficit of N$2 billion and total trade of N$13.2 billion with the continent.
Intra-Africa exports made up 42.4% of Namibia’s total exports, while African imports accounted for 47.2% of total imports. This means most trade deals still involved countries outside the AfCFTA.
Namibia’s main African export destinations were South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe. On the import side, South Africa, Zambia, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eswatini topped the list.
