Namibia is seeking to expand mineral beneficiation and develop low-carbon manufacturing as part of a broader strategy to advance green industrialisation and diversify its resource-dependent economy, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a workshop on industrial decarbonisation in Windhoek, Kaire Mbuende, director general of the National Planning Commission, said the country aims to leverage international climate finance to support investments in value addition and environmentally sustainable industrial production.
Namibia is looking to tap into the Climate Investment Funds Industrial Decarbonization Program to accelerate projects focused on mineral beneficiation, low-carbon manufacturing and modern industrial systems, he said.
“The project pipeline emerging from this initiative demonstrates the scale of opportunity before us,” Mbuende told participants at the workshop, noting that several proposals are already being developed around processing critical minerals and building cleaner production facilities.
Namibia, which holds significant deposits of minerals such as uranium, lithium and rare earth elements, has long sought to move beyond the export of raw materials toward higher-value processing and manufacturing within the country.
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Officials say strengthening domestic value chains could help create jobs, boost industrial output and increase export earnings while reducing the country’s reliance on imported manufactured goods.
Under the decarbonisation initiative, the government hopes to attract investment into industries that process minerals using cleaner energy and modern technologies, helping the country align with global climate commitments while expanding its industrial base.
According to Mbuende, the program is expected to support the modernization of Namibia’s production systems and improve its competitiveness in emerging global green markets.
“The initiative provides an opportunity to position Namibia strategically within the growing global demand for sustainably produced industrial goods,” he said.
Beyond industrial plants, the program is also expected to stimulate demand for critical supporting infrastructure, including energy transmission networks, logistics corridors, industrial parks, water supply systems and digital infrastructure.
These investments are seen as essential for enabling large-scale industrial projects and supporting Namibia’s transition toward a greener and more diversified economy.
Mbuende said the industrial decarbonisation push is aligned with Namibia’s national development priorities, particularly the country’s Sixth National Development Plan, which emphasizes sustainable economic growth, infrastructure expansion and private sector participation.
By linking climate finance with industrial development, the initiative could help translate national policy objectives into practical investments while easing pressure on public finances, he added.
The government is working with several international development partners to advance the initiative, including the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation.
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These institutions are supporting technical planning, financing frameworks and project development aimed at helping Namibia transition toward climate-aligned industries.
Namibia has increasingly positioned itself as a potential hub for green energy and sustainable industrial production in southern Africa, particularly as global demand grows for critical minerals used in renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles.
Government officials say combining the country’s mineral resources with clean energy potential — including solar and wind — could allow Namibia to produce lower-carbon industrial outputs and attract environmentally conscious investors.
Analysts say the approach could also strengthen Namibia’s role in global supply chains for energy transition materials, provided that infrastructure, investment frameworks and regulatory systems are developed to support large-scale projects.
Mbuende said the industrial decarbonisation program offers a platform for the country to move from policy commitments to concrete industrial development.
“Namibia now stands ready to move from policy ambition to industrial implementation,” he said.
“With the right partnerships and investments, we can build modern industries, strengthen infrastructure and accelerate inclusive economic growth.”
