Namibia’s newly appointed Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Modestus Amutse, has vowed to strengthen regulation across Namibia’s mining sector, targeting raw mineral exports, poor oversight and inefficiencies that, he said, continue to deny communities meaningful economic benefit.
Speaking at his first official engagement with ministry staff, Amutse said Namibia could no longer operate under a system in which minerals leave the country with little or no value added.
He expressed concern that small-scale miners often sell unprocessed ore at low prices, allowing buyers to extract multiple minerals while declaring only one commodity.
“Value addition is critical. Mining companies must add value locally. Even if we start with small processing, it is progress. That is how we create jobs,” he said.
The minister called for stronger verification mechanisms at mine sites, during transportation and at ports to ensure accurate reporting of volumes and values, warning that the current system leaves room for exploitation and revenue loss.
Amutse also criticised the frequent trading of exclusive prospecting licences (EPLs) without any exploration undertaken.
He said many Namibians sell licences without understanding their true geological value and insisted the ministry must support communities and small miners with exploration, processing and financing capacity to unlock real wealth.
He further argued that reviving the Miners Development Fund is necessary to provide structured financing to small-scale miners rather than leaving them dependent on private buyers who dictate conditions and pricing.
On internal governance, Amutse urged officials to improve budget execution, stating that lapses directly affect national development outcomes.
He confirmed that departmental progress and expenditure reports will be presented from next week to strengthen accountability.
His monitoring approach will include field verification. “Some policies have become outdated and are blocking progress. We must review, amend or replace them. From next week, each unit will present its work. But do not only bring figures and papers. I will go to sites to verify,” he said.
Turning to energy security, Amutse criticised Namibia’s continued reliance on imported electricity and said the country must accelerate domestic generation, including renewable sources such as solar and hydrogen, while keeping tariffs affordable.
The minister also insisted that corporate social responsibility in mining must produce visible impact, saying communities should benefit through infrastructure, schools and proper roads.
He added that Namibia can no longer accept a situation in which foreign-owned operations record high profits while surrounding areas remain underdeveloped
