IGF Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Namibia

The assessment finds that while Namibia has strong geological data and a fair revenue system, it suffers from outdated legislation, particularly regarding mine closure, water management, and occupational health and safety. The report recommends prioritizing the creation of mandatory financial assurances for mine closure and updating the legal framework for environmental and artisanal mining.

• Namibia possesses a high-quality, publicly available geological database covering 98% of the country, managed by a well-staffed Geological Survey of Namibia (GSN).
• The mining sector is a critical economic driver, accounting for 12.2% of GDP in 2017 and providing over 50% of foreign exchange earnings, with revenue mechanisms generally viewed as fair and regionally competitive.
• Key legislative instruments, including the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act of 1992 and the Minerals Policy of 2003, are outdated and their slow revision process creates uncertainty for investors.
• There is a critical lack of a legal framework for mine closure and post-mining transition, including the absence of mandatory financial assurance mechanisms to cover rehabilitation costs.
• Environmental management is supported by a strong Environmental Management Act (EMA) and the requirement for Environmental Clearance Certificates (ECCs), but is hindered by outdated water legislation and a lack of national noise or air quality standards.
• Occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations for the mining sector are outdated and not specifically tailored to the unique risks of mining operations.
• Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is recognized as a policy pillar, but the sector lacks funding for training, lacks formal financing mechanisms, and suffers from poor coordination between government ministries.
• Namibia faces significant climate risks, with temperatures projected to rise by 4.5°C by 2100, which will increase stress on water systems in an already arid environment.

APA

Crawford, A., Mooney, J., & Musiyarira, H. (2018). IGF Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Namibia. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/namibia-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf

Chicago

Crawford, Alec, Jessica Mooney, and Harmony Musiyarira. IGF Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Namibia. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2018. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/namibia-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Crawford |first1=Alec |last2=Mooney |first2=Jessica |last3=Musiyarira |first3=Harmony |title=IGF Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Namibia |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=September 2018 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/namibia-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{crawford2018igf, author = {Crawford, Alec and Mooney, Jessica and Musiyarira, Harmony}, title = {{IGF Mining Policy Framework Assessment: Namibia}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2018}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/namibia-mining-policy-framework-assessment-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }