Namibia's New President Turns to Beijing for Billions in Mining and Energy Deals

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A First State Visit With High Stakes

Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah traveled to Beijing this week for her first state visit outside Africa since taking office in 2025. She was accompanied by six cabinet ministers and more than 200 business representatives, underlining how much economic weight the government is placing on the trip.

During talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the two sides signed eight agreements, including a framework deal on economic partnership and a pact on cooperation in "green minerals." Both governments pledged to expand cooperation across energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and critical minerals such as uranium, lithium, and rare earths.

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Namibia's Resource Bet

The visit comes at a pivotal moment for Namibia's economy. The country is projected to become Africa's fourth-largest oil producer by 2030, after Shell and TotalEnergies discovered an estimated 2.6 billion barrels of crude offshore. Chinese firms are already deeply embedded in Namibia's metals sector, having invested roughly $4.2 billion there, according to the American Enterprise Institute — almost all of it in mining.

Uranium remains the backbone of the trade relationship. China buys around a quarter of all Namibian exports, and uranium alone accounted for 85% of the $1.3 billion in Namibian goods China purchased last year, based on International Monetary Fund figures. The China General Nuclear-operated Husab mine, one of the world's largest uranium operations, has repeatedly been cited by Namibian officials as the flagship example of this partnership.

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Growing Calls for Local Processing

A recurring theme of the Beijing talks was a push for local mineral processing rather than simple raw-material exports — a demand increasingly voiced by African commodity producers dealing with China. According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, both sides agreed to prioritize technology transfer and skills development alongside mineral extraction.

Whether this translates into concrete industrial plants on Namibian soil, rather than another round of memoranda of understanding, remains an open question. Namibian opposition lawmaker Rodney Cloete of the Independent Patriots for Change was blunt in his assessment, describing the relationship as a "resource extractive relationship dressed in diplomatic language," and questioning whether the visit would produce binding commitments or merely add to a pile of unfulfilled past promises.

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A Relationship Namibia Says Is Pragmatic, Not Sentimental

The Namibian presidency has pushed back on such criticism, framing the China relationship as a matter of economic necessity rather than political alignment. Presidential spokesperson Jonas Mbambo argued that engaging with one of the world's largest economies is standard practice, even among nations that publicly call for reducing dependence on Beijing.

Trade between the two countries reached a record 40.64 billion Namibian dollars in 2025, up more than 10% from the previous year, leaving Namibia with a trade surplus. China remains Namibia's largest single trading partner overall.

Regional Context: A Familiar Pattern

Namibia is not alone in leaning on Chinese capital to develop its resource sector. Neighboring Angola, which produces around 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, has used its own oil wealth to fund a China-backed economic overhaul. The pattern reflects a broader dynamic across resource-rich African states, where Beijing's financing power gives it outsized influence over how — and by whom — critical minerals are extracted and processed.

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Outlook

For Nandi-Ndaitwah, who took office facing high unemployment and frustration over inequality, the real test will not be the signing ceremonies in Beijing but whether pledges on green hydrogen, local mineral beneficiation, and job creation materialize on the ground. With Chinese state media already framing the visit as a reaffirmation of "traditional friendship," Namibian critics will be watching closely to see whether economic sovereignty — not just export volumes — factors into what comes next.

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Sources

1. Reuters – "Namibia secures China deals on infrastructure, mining and energy with state visit": https://www.reuters.com/world/china/namibia-secures-china-deals-infrastructure-mining-energy-with-state-visit-2026-07-10/
2. The Namibian – "Namibia flirts with China on trade, investment": https://www.namibian.com.na/namibia-flirts-with-china-on-trade-investment/
3. Namibia Economist – "President Nandi-Ndaitwah to undertake a state visit to China": https://economist.com.na/108038/general-news/president-nandi-ndaitwah-to-undertake-a-state-visit-to-china/
4. Mining & Energy Namibia – "Namibia's President heads to China to deepen mining, energy and investment cooperation": https://miningandenergy.com.na/namibias-president-heads-to-china-to-deepen-mining-energy-and-investment-cooperation/

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