Exporting salt from Namibia
Walvis Bay solar salt, shipped to two dozen African countries.
Your route to a first salt shipment
| Where you are | What you buy | Total | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| New business: No registered CC or company yet | Export Starter Package + Minerals and Salt Export Pack | N$18,000 | 25–35 working days |
| Registered business: A CC or company, but no customs code yet | Export Registration + Minerals and Salt Export Pack | N$14,000 | 15–25 working days |
| Already an exporter: Customs code in hand, new to this commodity | Minerals and Salt Export Pack + Shipment Documents | N$11,000 | 10–15 working days |
The Minerals and Salt Export Pack is N$5,500, government fees included. Each shipment's documents after that are N$5,500.
What you need before we start
- A registered business, or the Export Starter Package to create one
- Proof of your salt works rights: a mining claim, licence or lease
- Production volume and whether the salt is food grade, industrial or de-icing
- A buyer or target region; most Namibian salt sells into Africa by road and sea
Who regulates salt exports
- Ministry of Industrialisation, Mines and Trade (Mines): Mining or claim rights for the salt works and the mineral export permit
- Namibian Standards Institution: Certification for iodised table salt
- NamRA Customs: Exporter registration and the export declaration
- Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Certificate of origin, SADC certificate for duty-free regional entry
Documents on a first shipment
- Mineral export permit
- NSI certificate for food-grade salt
- SADC certificate of origin
- Health certificate where the importing country asks for it
Where Namibian salt sells
South Africa, West and Central Africa, DRC and Angola, East Africa.
- Walvis Bay Salt alone produces about 1.1 million tonnes a year and supplies 24 African countries, which shows how deep the regional market is for a second Namibian supplier.
What buyers ask for
- Purity (sodium chloride percentage) and moisture stated on a laboratory report
- Iodised for table salt in most African markets, with the iodine level on the label
- NSI certification for food-grade salt
- 25 kg or 50 kg bags, or 1-tonne bulk bags, with bag weights that match the contract
- SADC certificate of origin for duty-free entry across the region
Where first-time exporters go wrong
- Exporting food-grade salt without iodisation where the buyer’s law requires it
- Missing the mineral export permit at the border
- Bag weights and purity not matching the contract
Frequently asked questions
Is salt treated as a mineral?
Yes. The Mines directorate issues the export permit for salt as for any mineral, and the salt works must hold a claim or licence. Food-grade salt also needs the Namibian Standards Institution certification.
Which markets are realistic for a new producer?
Regional ones: Angola, Zambia, the DRC and South Africa, by road from Walvis Bay or Windhoek. Walvis Bay Salt already supplies 24 African countries, which shows the demand is there.
How long does the pack take?
10 to 15 working days for a registered business with its mineral rights in order.
Buying Namibian salt instead? See supply, specifications and verified suppliers.