Namibia’s Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy is currently reviewing 415 exclusive prospecting licence (EPL) applications in Namibia, with 159 submissions made in 2025 still awaiting evaluation.
“There are 159 applications submitted this year that are still to be considered by the committee for recommendation to the minister. Everything submitted before 2025 has been disposed of one way or the other,” said Erasmus Shivolo, Deputy Executive Director in the Ministry.
Namibia currently has 588 active EPLs and 1,150 registered mining claims, but only 165 active mining licences. Shivolo clarified that the term “active” does not necessarily mean a mine is in operation.
“Active might not mean you are actually mining. It means you have a tenure that is current and in good legal standing, whether work is ongoing or not,” he explained.
The growing backlog of applications has been linked to several factors, including speculative and substandard submissions, overlapping applications, and procedural delays relating to environmental and community consultations.
“The lawyers say the law requires that you accept and adjudicate all applications, even the ones you can see are substandard. You must make a decision either to grant, reject, or request further information,” Shivolo said.
Environmental concerns and applications affecting protected areas in Namibia have further contributed to delays. “You may have areas that slightly overlap with sensitive zones. We cannot decide alone; we must engage with the Ministry of Environment and Environmental Affairs before issuing a licence,” he noted.
Shivolo also highlighted challenges related to financial disclosures and compliance with legal requirements involving traditional authorities. “If your application falls within a traditional authority’s jurisdiction, you must obtain their consent. That’s not optional. And many applicants submit without it, which triggers more delays,” he said.
To address systemic inefficiencies, the Ministry is implementing an online application system through the Landfolio platform and limiting new applications to three designated windows per year: April–June, August–October, and December. Renewal applications are accepted throughout the year.
“The online system will reject incomplete applications and issue alerts if key documents are missing. This will cut down processing time significantly,” Shivolo said.
He also acknowledged internal capacity challenges, including limited staffing to manage high volumes and historical backlogs. A broader legislative overhaul is also underway.
“The Minerals Prospecting and Mining Act of 1992 has served Namibia well but it’s outdated. A new bill is at an advanced stage to modernise and align Namibia with global regulatory standards,” Shivolo stated.
The Ministry’s efforts form part of a wider push to improve transparency, reduce turnaround times, and strengthen regulatory oversight in Namibia’s mining sector — a key pillar of the national economy.
