Mining expo grows from strength to strength

The Chamber of Mines of Namibia will be hosting the 11th Mining Expo and Conference from 7 to 8 August at the Windhoek Showgrounds.

This year’s event is sponsored by RMB, a leading financial services provider to Namibia’s mining sector.

Weeks ahead of the expo, 145 companies had already booked 242 booths.

Veston Malango, CEO of the chamber, said the decision to host this annual event celebrating Namibia's critical mining industry was first made in 2009, with the inaugural expo and conference held in 2010.

Since then, the event's three primary objectives have remained the same: “Number one is to showcase the industry to the owners of the resource, the minerals. That includes the man and woman on the street,” he said while giving an update on preparations leading up to the expo.



Impressive numbers

Unlike similar events, access to the annual expo is free of charge.

Last year's event saw the entire Windhoek Show Grounds venue completely booked out to accommodate the record-breaking demand.

Malango said another primary objective of the event is “to promote business opportunities for Namibian entrepreneurs, particularly in the upstream, because that is where we believe the hanging fruit is."

The third goal – and not the least – is to promote skills in mining, he said.

The chamber is confident that this year's event will surpass last year's, with uptake levels already exceeding demand compared to 2023.

The chamber is confident that this year's event will surpass last year's, with uptake levels already exceeding demand compared to 2023.

Last year, 164 participants occupied 268 booths, boasting a 59% increase in exhibitors and over 64% more exhibits on display compared to the 2022 expo.

Reflecting on past achievements and trends, this year’s Mining Expo & Conference will highlight the potential within Namibia’s mining sector under the theme 'Green Shoots for Namibia’s Mining Industry: a Season of Opportunity and Growth to Drive Economic Expansion'.