Namibia’s long-delayed marine phosphate project has received a fresh Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC), marking the most significant regulatory breakthrough for the controversial Sandpiper project since its original environmental approval was withdrawn nearly a decade ago.
An Environmental Clearance Certificate issued by the Office of the Environmental Commissioner on 5 August 2026 authorises Namibian Marine Phosphate (Pty) Ltd (NMP) to undertake the proposed Sandpiper Marine Phosphate Project within Mining Licence (ML) 170 offshore Namibia. The clearance is valid until 5 August 2029.
The approval represents a major milestone for a project that has spent more than ten years at the centre of one of Namibia’s most contentious natural resource debates, pitting the country’s ambitions to develop a new phosphate mining industry against concerns from the fishing sector and environmental organisations.
The certificate, issued under Section 37(2) of the Environmental Management Act, authorises the proposed activity but states that it is subject to conditions printed on the reverse side of the document.
The Sandpiper project has been embroiled in legal and regulatory disputes since receiving its mining licence in 2011. It was initially expected to become the world’s first commercial offshore marine phosphate mining operation, but concerns over its potential impact on the Benguela marine ecosystem triggered fierce opposition from fishing industry organisations, marine scientists and environmental groups.
The project’s first Environmental Clearance Certificate, granted in 2016, was suspended almost immediately after objections were lodged. The ensuing legal battles and appeals ultimately led to the environmental assessment process being restarted.
Following a High Court judgment confirming the validity of NMP’s mining licence, the company was instructed to submit a fresh environmental clearance application under the prescribed process. Public consultations resumed, additional environmental studies were undertaken and a revised Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was submitted for consideration.
The revised ESIA was supported by 28 specialist studies examining marine ecology, fisheries, water quality, sediment transport, socio-economic impacts and environmental management. According to the environmental consultants, the studies concluded that the project’s impacts could be managed through mitigation measures contained in an Environmental Management Plan.
NMP has consistently argued that marine phosphate mining can coexist with Namibia’s fishing industry, citing specialist studies showing that the majority of commercial fishing effort occurs outside the proposed mining area and that environmental impacts can be effectively monitored and managed.
The fishing industry, however, has maintained that offshore phosphate dredging poses unacceptable risks to one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems. Fishing associations have argued that disturbing seabed sediments could affect fish stocks, benthic habitats and the long-term sustainability of an industry that supports thousands of jobs and contributes significantly to Namibia’s economy.
The Chamber of Mines has repeatedly identified the Sandpiper project as one of the strategic mining developments capable of unlocking new investment and employment once regulatory uncertainty is resolved. Speaking at the Namibia Mining Expo and Conference this week, Chamber president George Botshiwe noted that although the marine phosphate moratorium had expired, the industry had continued to wait for government direction on the project, saying that its development could unlock significant economic value and jobs.
The new environmental clearance appears to remove one of the project’s biggest regulatory obstacles. However, it remains unclear whether the approval will trigger further appeals from opponents or whether additional government approvals will be required before commercial mining can commence.
If the project proceeds, Sandpiper could establish an entirely new subsector within Namibia’s mining industry by producing phosphate concentrate for export and potentially supporting the future development of a domestic fertiliser industry. NMP has previously stated that the project could create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs during construction and operations while contributing to economic diversification.
The issuing of the Environmental Clearance Certificate therefore marks a significant turning point in one of Namibia’s longest-running mining disputes. However, the broader debate over the balance between marine resource extraction and environmental protection is unlikely to end with the latest approval.
