Namibia’s marine phosphate ambitions continue to face strong resistance from environmental groups, fishing industry representatives, and some coastal communities, who argue that seabed mining could cause irreversible damage to marine ecosystems and threaten fisheries. Legal challenges have stalled progress for years.
The dispute centres on the environmental clearance granted to Namibia Marine Phosphate (NMP) for its Sandpiper project, with opponents questioning the adequacy of environmental assessments.
As of 2025, the case remains before the High Court following a series of delays and procedural challenges. While proponents of marine phosphate mining await a final ruling, no large-scale seabed mining operations have yet commenced in Namibia’s waters.
Namibia Marine Phosphate (NMP) is the company driving one of the country’s most controversial resource developments — the Sandpiper Marine Phosphate Project. Situated about 120 kilometres southwest of Walvis Bay in the Atlantic Ocean, the project covers more than 2,200 square kilometres of seabed at depths between 180 and 300 metres.
It aims to make Namibia a significant producer of rock phosphate for agricultural fertiliser production.
NMP is majority-owned by Mawarid Mining of Oman, which holds 85 per cent of the company, with the remaining 15 per cent owned by Namibian-registered Havana Investments.
The company plans to use dredging technology to harvest phosphate-rich sediments from the ocean floor, a method designed to deliver large-scale production while operating entirely offshore.
Geological studies estimate that the Sandpiper deposit holds between 1.7 and 1.8 billion tonnes of phosphate ore grading around 19 to 20 per cent P₂O₅.
A 2013 feasibility study outlined an operation producing approximately three million tonnes of phosphate concentrate annually, grading between 27.5% and 28% P₂O₅, positioning Sandpiper among the most significant undeveloped marine phosphate projects globally in terms of resource size and planned output.
From its inception, however, the project has faced intense scrutiny.
Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism granted the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) in 2016, subject to stringent conditions, including continuous monitoring and the right to withdraw the certificate if environmental impacts proved unacceptable.
The fisheries sector and environmental groups have voiced strong opposition, warning that dredging could disrupt fish breeding grounds, alter seabed ecosystems, and create sediment plumes harmful to marine life.
Legal battles soon followed.
In 2018, the Windhoek High Court overturned an earlier decision to cancel NMP’s ECC, reinstating the company’s right to proceed under the existing environmental framework.
This ruling was a turning point for the project, giving NMP the legal standing to continue planning and development, though regulatory oversight remained tight.
Environmental governance in the region is strengthened by the Benguela Current Commission, a partnership among Namibia, Angola, and South Africa, which aims to protect the marine ecosystems along the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem.
The commission, along with Namibian authorities, is responsible for ensuring that all mining activities comply with environmental laws and preserve marine biodiversity.
NMP has consistently argued that the Sandpiper project can operate alongside Namibia’s fishing industry without causing long-term damage, provided it follows best-practice environmental management and meets the ECC’s monitoring requirements.
The company cites international examples of marine sediment mining and asserts that its technology and mitigation measures are robust enough to manage potential risks.
Supporters of the industry maintain that modern technology and strict regulation can mitigate environmental risks, while critics insist that precaution must take precedence.
Against this backdrop, Namibia’s phosphate sector is nonetheless positioning itself to claim a stronger foothold in the global fertiliser supply chain.
The strategy, as outlined by Chris Jordinson and Mike Woodborne at the Mining Expo, focuses on value addition — transforming locally mined phosphate concentrate into a range of high-value products for both African and international markets.
They argue that Namibia’s unique resource quality, paired with its strategic coastal location, provides a significant competitive edge.
Phosphate concentrate can be upgraded into Direct Application Phosphate (DAP), Single Super Phosphate (SSP), Dicalcium Phosphate (DCP), Phosphoric Acid, Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), Mono Ammonium Phosphate (MAP), Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), and gypsum as a by-product.
These products are vital to agricultural productivity worldwide and, critically, have no known substitute, making phosphate indispensable to global food security.
Infrastructure to support industry growth
The presenters emphasised the importance of infrastructure in unlocking the industry’s full potential. Ongoing expansion at Namport’s Walvis Bay and Lüderitz ports will increase handling capacity.
At the same time, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group continues to strengthen rail, road, and sea connections to regional and global markets. Proximity to neighbouring African countries such as South Africa, Tunisia, Mozambique, Sudan, and Côte d’Ivoire means lower shipping costs and faster deliveries — an advantage for bulk commodities.
These ambitions align with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), creating opportunities for stronger intra-African trade in fertiliser products.
Expanding global reach
Namibia’s potential export footprint extends well beyond Africa to agricultural powerhouses including India, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, and the European Union, with additional targets such as Turkey, Mexico, South Korea, and New Zealand. All are high-volume consumers of phosphate-based fertilisers.
Jordinson and Woodborne cited the “Jordanian Phosphate Success Story” as a model Namibia could emulate. Jordan’s success stems from integrating mining, beneficiation, and downstream manufacturing into a single value chain, allowing the country to capture more value domestically rather than exporting raw materials.
Realising untapped potential
Namibia’s abundant offshore deposits, coupled with strategic port access, could diversify the mining sector and create new revenue streams.
The presenters emphasised that success will depend on striking a balance between environmental stewardship, infrastructure investment, and proactive market development.
With the industry now shifting from feasibility studies toward potential production, the message was clear: phosphate could join uranium, diamonds, and zinc as one of Namibia’s most valuable mineral exports — a resource essential for life and without a substitute.
