China takes Namibia’s N$3.4bn uranium
China was Namibia’s largest export destination in September, accounting for more than a third of export earnings, with all recorded exports in the uranium and thorium ores and concentrates category shipped to the Asian market.
The Namibia Statistics Agency’s (NSA) September 2026 International Merchandise Trade Statistics Bulletin shows that uranium exports reached N$3.39 billion, representing 27.7% of Namibia’s total exports of N$12.24 billion.
China accounted for N$4.43 billion, or 36.2%, of total export earnings, making it the country’s largest export market.
The trade relationship also generated a surplus for Namibia. Exports to China stood at N$4.43 billion, against imports of N$2.06 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of about N$2.37 billion.
Namibia’s other leading export products included non-monetary gold, worth N$1.37 billion, fish at N$1.12 billion and base-metal ores and concentrates at N$709 million.
Despite the strong export performance compared with a year earlier, the country recorded a merchandise trade deficit of N$4.67 billion in September, widening from N$3.89 billion in August.
Exports declined by 3.4% month on month to N$12.24 billion, while imports increased by 2.1% to N$16.91 billion.
Year on year, exports rose by 64.8%, while imports increased by 55.5%.
South Africa remained Namibia’s largest source of imports, accounting for 30.7% of the total, followed by China at 12.2%.
For the first nine months of 2026, exports totalled N$103.48 billion, compared with imports of N$138.75 billion, leaving a cumulative trade deficit of N$35.27 billion.
