Namibia's exports to the European Union (EU) reached N$17.57 billion in 2025, with trade heavily concentrated in six of the bloc's 27 member states. According to the October 2026 report, EU-Namibia Trade: A Partnership That Works, these six countries, namely Spain, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, and Germany, accounted for approximately N$16.70 billion, representing 95.1% of Namibia's EU exports.
The six countries have established strong commercial relationships with Namibia, with Spain being the largest destination, receiving goods valued at N$5.68 billion, followed by France at N$5.26 billion and the Netherlands at N$3.05 billion. Italy accounted for N$1.47 billion, while Belgium and Germany received approximately N$618 million and N$617 million, respectively.
In contrast, the remaining 21 EU member states collectively received exports worth N$868 million, or 4.9%. These countries include Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden.
The concentration of Namibia's exports to a limited number of markets raises concerns about market diversification and export resilience. Changes in demand, import regulations, or economic conditions in these countries could affect export earnings. Economist Robin Sherbourne, in the report, noted that Namibia's exports to the EU increased from N$14.98 billion in 2024 to N$17.57 billion in 2025.
The report highlights that Namibia's European trade extends beyond minerals, with fisheries, livestock, horticulture, and other resource-based industries contributing to export earnings. Products include fish, meat, fruit, charcoal, crustaceans, diamonds, dimension stone, and base metals.
The EU-Namibia trade relationship also supports employment, with approximately 40,000 direct jobs in Namibia, particularly in fisheries, livestock, meat processing, fruit and vegetables, and charcoal production. The next phase of export growth should focus not only on increasing shipment volumes but also on retaining more value locally through investment in processing, packaging, quality control, and productive capacity.
To strengthen domestic industries and increase market diversification, export agencies and industry associations could assess demand for Namibian products, potential buyers, distribution networks, certification requirements, and logistics costs in the remaining EU markets.
Key points
- Six EU countries account for 95.1% of Namibia's EU exports.
- Namibia's EU exports reached N$17.57 billion in 2025.
- Exports to the EU support approximately 40,000 direct jobs in Namibia.
