In a significant policy shift aimed at ensuring greater national benefit from mineral wealth, Namibia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Natangwe Ithete, announced today that the government is actively pursuing mechanisms to mandate 51% Namibian ownership in all new mining ventures.
The announcement came during the Minister’s keynote address at the opening session of the Mining Expo 2025 in Windhoek. Minister Ithete framed the move as essential for achieving equitable and sustainable development within the critical mining sector.
“The theme of this year’s Expo is ‘Mining for Namibia’s Future: Job Creation, Local Empowerment, and Economic Transformation’. This is appropriate and timely for the Namibia we want,” stated Ithete. “Namibia’s minerals are a national asset… It is therefore our collective responsibility to ensure that the exploitation of these resources results in tangible benefits for all Namibians.”
Ithete emphasized that the Ministry is prioritizing policy frameworks to strengthen local ownership, build capacity, and promote value addition. The push for majority local ownership in new projects is a cornerstone of this strategy. “We are actively consulting with industry stakeholders on mechanisms that will promote 51% Namibian ownership in new mining ventures,” he declared. “We believe that local empowerment is not only a matter of social justice, but also a cornerstone for long-term stability and sustainability in the sector.”
This initiative aligns with the ongoing review of the Minerals Bill. Minister Ithete confirmed that stakeholder consultations on the revised bill will commence soon, particularly in key mining regions, to ensure the legislation reflects ambitions for an “equitable and modern mining industry.”
The Minister coupled the ownership announcement with a stern warning against holding mineral rights without developing them. He revealed that the Ministry, alongside the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), has already issued notices to non-compliant mineral rights holders and will soon engage them directly. “The mineral rights are granted with the intention of production… We will not tolerate the hoarding of licences for purposes unrelated to national development,” Ithete asserted.
While welcoming serious investors committed to exploration, development, production, and reinvestment, Ithete reiterated the government’s unwavering strategic priorities: value addition, beneficiation, local content development, skills transfer, and employment creation. He stressed these are “the pillars upon which inclusive and sustainable growth must be built,” not mere policy buzzwords.
Minister Ithete concluded his address with a powerful call for collaboration, urging partnerships based on trust and transparency to ensure mining delivers “transformative broad-based prosperity.” He challenged the industry to move beyond “business as usual” and “corporate social responsibility as usual,” demanding tangible improvements in education, housing, healthcare, and essential services for communities in mining areas like Okangwati, Okankolo, Tsunkwe, and Uis.
“Let us mine not only for profit, but for our people,” Ithete urged. “Let us forge a future where the benefits of Namibia’s natural wealth are shared widely and equitably.” The 51% ownership proposal marks a bold step by the Namibian government towards realizing that vision.