Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia’s Vice President, has underscored the imperative need for more stringent legislative measures to protect the nation’s natural resources, asserting their rightful ownership by Namibian citizens. Speaking at the inauguration of the 11th Mining Expo and Conference in Windhoek, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised the necessity for robust legal frameworks to ensure resource sovereignty and attract investment.
The two-day event, held under the theme “Green Shoots for Namibia’s Mining Industry: A Season of Opportunity and Growth to Drive Economic Expansion,” witnessed the participation of 199 companies across 317 booths, showcasing the burgeoning potential within Namibia’s mining sector.
Addressing the conference, Nandi-Ndaitwah stated, “Naturally and constitutionally, it is our resources. What we need is a clear law that will protect that ownership.” She elaborated on the critical role that comprehensive legal provisions play in safeguarding national resources and fostering investor confidence.
Highlighting the prospects within the uranium and gold sub-sectors, the Vice President remarked on the alignment with the global clean energy transition. “Many countries have recognised nuclear power as a sustainable and carbon-neutral base-load source of power and have begun to develop or expand their nuclear power capabilities,” she noted, indicating Namibia’s potential to contribute significantly to this sector.
Moreover, Nandi-Ndaitwah identified substantial opportunities within Namibia’s oil and gas industries, advocating for the implementation of local content policies. Such measures, she argued, are essential to ensuring that the benefits derived from these sectors are equitably distributed among Namibian citizens.
A notable highlight of the expo was the launch of the National Database of Mining Goods and Services, an initiative designed to facilitate local businesses’ access to opportunities within the mining sector. This database aims to bolster domestic economic participation and enhance the integration of local enterprises into the mining value chain.
Tom Alweendo, Minister of Mines and Energy, provided a comprehensive update on the status of exploration licences, reporting a significant uptick in applications. “As of December 2023, we had over 600 new applications that needed to be evaluated. Since January 2024, we have received over 400 new applications,” he stated. Alweendo revealed that a considerable number of granted exploration licences had failed to meet their commitments, prompting a policy shift to award licences only to applicants fulfilling minimum exploration work requirements.
Currently, Namibia holds 162 valid mining licences, with merely 68 engaged in active mining operations. The remainder are either in a state of care and maintenance or have not commenced mining activities post-issuance. To address this, the government has instituted a new mandate requiring the formalisation of terms and conditions for all new mining licences through a negotiated mining agreement between the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the licence holders.
Mining and exploration continue to be linchpins of Namibia’s economy, generating substantial direct and indirect employment and contributing markedly to government revenue. The Vice President’s call for fortified legal protections underscores a broader strategy to secure national interests and promote sustainable economic development.
