Windhoek: Namibia's trade balance for September 2025 improved to a deficit of N.dollars 3.4 billion, recovering from the N.dollars 5.3 billion recorded in August and N.dollars 5.7 billion in the same month last year.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the Namibia Statistics Agency's (NSA) International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS) report detailed that the country's total exports amounted to N.dollars 7.4 billion, while imports stood at N.dollars 10.8 billion during the month under review.

Statistician-General Alex Shimuafeni noted in the report that despite the deficit, the figures indicate an improvement in Namibia's trade position and a sign of reduced import dependence. 'The decline in imports and a moderate fall in exports led to a narrower deficit, reflecting resilience in Namibia's external sector,' he said.

South Africa remained Namibia's leading trading partner for both exports and imports, absorbing 17.8 per cent of exports and supplying 33.3 per cent of imports. Botswana, Zambia, China, and the United Arab Emirates completed the list of the country's top five export markets.

The NSA report further revealed that Namibia's export basket continues to be dominated by mineral commodities, with uranium accounting for 21.1 per cent of total exports, followed by diamonds at 19.8 per cent, fish at 13.5 per cent, non-monetary gold at 10.7 per cent, and nickel ores and concentrates at 5.6 per cent.

At a regional level, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) emerged as Namibia's largest export destination, accounting for 31.9 per cent of total exports, followed closely by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development market at 31.2 per cent.

The report also highlighted that Namibia was a net exporter of food items, registering a trade surplus of N.dollars 58 million, largely driven by fish exports. However, the country recorded a deficit of N.dollars 210 million in beverages.

Charcoal was identified as the commodity of the month, with exports worth N.dollars 100 million, primarily destined for the Netherlands, South Africa, and Poland. 'The improvement in the trade balance is encouraging, but Namibia must continue diversifying its exports and invest in manufacturing capacity to reduce dependence on imported goods,' Shimuafeni noted.