rki.news
WINDHOEK, June 9 — African markets accounted for more than half of Namibia’s total trade in April, highlighting rising regional integration and intra-African commerce, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) on Tuesday.
Namibia exported goods worth 5.5 billion Namibian dollars (about 332 million U.S. dollars) to African countries in April, while imports reached 7.7 billion Namibian dollars, the NSA said in its International Merchandise Trade Statistics Bulletin.
Exports to African markets represented 56.1 percent of total exports, while imports accounted for 54.7 percent of total imports, underscoring Africa’s central role in Namibia’s trade structure.
The NSA said intra-African trade reflects the importance of regional markets in supporting economic activity and integration across the continent.
South Africa remained Namibia’s largest trading partner, followed by Botswana, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe on the export side. Key import sources included South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Exports were driven by non-monetary gold, petroleum oils, fish, precious stones and fertilizers, while imports consisted largely of petroleum oils, nickel ores and concentrates, commercial vehicles and base metal ores.
About 98.9 percent of exports to Africa were directed to southern African countries, while 85 percent of imports originated from the Southern African Development Community region.
Despite strong regional trade, Namibia recorded a trade deficit of 4.4 billion Namibian dollars in April as imports of 14.2 billion exceeded exports of 9.8 billion.