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Trade between Namibia and South Africa

In 2024, Namibia exported $1.2 billion to South Africa and imported $3.4 billion. Namibia ran a deficit of $2.2 billion with South Africa, compared with a deficit of $1.9 billion in 2019. South Africa was Namibia’s largest trading partner (27% of its trade), and Namibia was South Africa’s 11th (2%).

Summary

Namibia → South Africa
$1.2billion
South Africa → Namibia
$3.4billion
Namibia’s balance
-$2.2billion

Balance

Namibia’s trade balance with South Africa

Trade between Namibia and South Africa grew 3.2-fold since 2000

USD billions (current). Namibia’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 1.2
  • Imports 3.4
  • Balance -2.2

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$0$0$0
1996$0$0$0
1997$0$0$0
1998$0$0$0
1999$0$0$0
2000$229 million$1.2 billion-$992 million
2001$417 million$1.3 billion-$871 million
2002$319 million$1 billion-$684 million
2003$371 million$1.1 billion-$765 million
2004$549 million$2.1 billion-$1.5 billion
2005$882 million$2.1 billion-$1.2 billion
2006$931 million$2.3 billion-$1.4 billion
2007$1.3 billion$3.1 billion-$1.8 billion
2008$1.4 billion$3.2 billion-$1.8 billion
2009$1.9 billion$4.3 billion-$2.4 billion
2010$1.5 billion$4.3 billion-$2.8 billion
2011$1.6 billion$4.8 billion-$3.3 billion
2012$815 million$5 billion-$4.1 billion
2013$1.6 billion$4.7 billion-$3.1 billion
2014$640 million$4.8 billion-$4.1 billion
2015$792 million$4.9 billion-$4.1 billion
2016$769 million$3.9 billion-$3.1 billion
2017$925 million$3.7 billion-$2.8 billion
2018$1.3 billion$3.6 billion-$2.4 billion
2019$1.3 billion$3.1 billion-$1.9 billion
2020$1.2 billion$2.5 billion-$1.3 billion
2021$1.5 billion$3.1 billion-$1.6 billion
2022$1.8 billion$2.9 billion-$1.2 billion
2023$1.7 billion$2.9 billion-$1.3 billion
2024$1.2 billion$3.4 billion-$2.2 billion

What they sell each other

What Namibia sells to South Africa

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Gold$797 million · 65.2%
    11 tonnes · South Africa’s sources
  2. Live cattle$82 million · 6.7%
    26 thousand tonnes
  3. Beer$61 million · 5%
    53 thousand tonnes
  4. Live sheep and goats$45 million · 3.6%
    20 thousand tonnes
  5. Pasta$33 million · 2.7%
    25 thousand tonnes
  6. Frozen fish$31 million · 2.5%
    23 thousand tonnes
  7. Fish fillets$22 million · 1.8%
    6 thousand tonnes
  8. Salt$13 million · 1.1%
    299 thousand tonnes
  9. Wood charcoal$12 million · 0.94%
    110 thousand tonnes
  10. Tomatoes$8 million · 0.62%
    6 thousand tonnes

What South Africa sells to Namibia

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Trucks$180 million · 5.3%
    8 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  2. Electricity$103 million · 3%
  3. Corn$95 million · 2.8%
    322 thousand tonnes
  4. Cane and beet sugar$93 million · 2.7%
    81 thousand tonnes
  5. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$84 million · 2.5%
    2 thousand tonnes
  6. Cars$65 million · 1.9%
    3 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  7. Wine$51 million · 1.5%
    20 thousand tonnes
  8. Refined petroleum$49 million · 1.5%
    22 thousand tonnes · South Africa’s destinations
  9. Pet and animal feed$49 million · 1.5%
    63 thousand tonnes
  10. Tractors$49 million · 1.4%
    4 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Namibia and South Africa traded $4.6 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 89% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$496 million · 10.7%
  2. Land$4.1 billion · 89.3%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

South Africa was Namibia’s largest trading partner (27% of its trade), and Namibia was South Africa’s 11th (2%).

South Africa in Namibia’s trade
27.1%
South Africa’s rank among Namibia’s partners
1st
Namibia in South Africa’s trade
1.8%
Namibia’s rank among South Africa’s partners
11th

Compare with

Other partners of Namibia

Other partners of South Africa

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.