Namibia's economic future: moving beyond raw uranium exports

Despite being the world's third-largest uranium producer, Namibia primarily exports unprocessed uranium, missing out on significant value addition from conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication. The article argues that this "dig, crush, ship" approach is an "economic surrender" rather than an industrial policy. It calls for a strategic partnership with companies like CGN to facilitate technology transfer, train Namibian engineers in nuclear science, and establish domestic processing facilities.

The author, Gabriel Haulyamayi, an entrepreneur and commentator, emphasizes the importance of human capital development, citing South Korea's success in becoming a nuclear exporter. He suggests that such a shift could address Namibia's energy crisis and position the country as a future energy exporter. Haulyamayi outlines three key deliverables for the President's visit: a bilateral agreement with explicit technology transfer clauses, a scholarship and training pipeline for Namibian students in nuclear institutes, and a feasibility study for domestic uranium beneficiation with clear timelines.