NAMIBIA RANKS SECOND GLOBALLY FOR GREENFIELD FDI PERFORMANCE, SIGNALING STRONG INVESTOR CONFIDENCE

Namibia has retained its position as one of the world’s leading investment destinations, according to the ‘fDi Intelligence Greenfield FDI Performance Index 2026’. Out of 98 countries assessed, Namibia ranked second globally and first in Africa for attracting greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) projects relative to the size of its economy. Greenfield FDI refers to  when a company starts a new venture or subsidiary in another country without relying on any existing facilities. 

The ranking highlights Namibia’s growing competitiveness in the global investment landscape and reflects its ability to attract a greater share of international investment projects than its economic size would ordinarily suggest.

Namibia’s strong performance in the Greenfield FDI Performance Index demonstrates the country’s increasing visibility and attractiveness as an investment destination. This recognition further highlights the Government’s commitment to creating an environment where investors can confidently establish and grow their businesses while contributing to Namibia’s long-term economic development. 

Understanding the Index

Developed by fDi Intelligence, the Greenfield FDI Performance Index measures countries’ success in attracting greenfield investment projects by comparing a country’s share of global FDI projects with its share of global gross domestic product (GDP). The index therefore indicates how effectively economies attract new investment relative to their economic scale.

Namibia achieved an index score of 7.74, ranking behind the top global performer, United Arab Emirates, which recorded a score of 19.21. Namibia was followed by Rwanda with 6.99 and Qatar with a score of 5.44. Other African countries in the top 10 include  Zambia (4.05) and  Botswana  (3.90).  This year’s rankings highlight the Middle East and Africa “as the leading global regions for countries that outperformed in their attraction of foreign direct investment relative to the size of their economies last year”. 

Namibia’s FDI Performance

In 2025, Namibia attracted 16 greenfield FDI projects, its second-highest annual performance after the 19 projects recorded in 2024. Notable greenfield investments contributing to this performance include Nopal Carbon Farming which has realised approximately N$66 million in investment towards the establishment of large-scale carbon farming and biofuel production on degraded land; the Kokoseb Gold Project, where approximately N$381 million has been invested in advancing one of Namibia's most promising new gold discoveries towards mine development; ISPS Solar Operations Namibia  which has realised approximately N$180 million in investment through the development of a 10.75 MW solar photovoltaic facility supplying clean energy to mining operations; and Kudu Biomass, which has invested approximately N$120 million in a biomass processing facility that converts encroacher bush into sustainable biomass products, supporting renewable energy, environmental restoration and local value addition. 

Relative to the size of Namibia’s economy, this level of investment activity demonstrates the country’s ability to outperform larger economies in attracting new investment projects. 

Drivers of Investor Interest

fDi Intelligence notes that “Major oil and gas discoveries in Namibia’s offshore Orange Basin have piqued foreign investors’ interest”. Namibia’s performance is supported by growing investor confidence in the country’s economic potential. Key factors include political stability, a strategic geographic location, a strong natural resource base and emerging opportunities across priority sectors. Major offshore oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin have increased international interest in Namibia, while the country’s green hydrogen ambitions have positioned it as a potential hub for low-carbon energy development. These developments are complemented by investment opportunities in renewable energy, mining and mineral beneficiation, agriculture, logistics, manufacturing and tourism.

Strengthening Namibia’s Investment Competitiveness and Future Outlook

Continued efforts to improve Namibia’s investment climate will be key to maintaining the country’s strong performance as an investment destination; and there have been notable advancements in this regard. To highlight a few, Namibia strengthened its regulatory and business environment by, amongst others, addressing thirteen (13) Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action items, resulting in the country’s removal from the FATF grey list in June 2026. This is important because it restores international financial credibility, and proves to foreign investors that the country’s financial system is transparent and secure. In October 2025, the Namibia Regulators Forum was established through the Bank of Namibia (BoN) to improve regulatory coordination, which will improve the ease of doing business. The inaugural Namibia Public Private Forum (NamPPF), chaired by Her Excellency President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also advanced various investment reforms including a commitment to a 5-year investor visa, as well as national task forces on housing, health and economic recovery.

While Namibia’s strong performance reflects growing investor confidence and highlights the country’s increasing investment appeal, our mixed performance across other competitiveness indices indicates that sustaining this momentum requires some work. The NIPDB tracks various competitiveness indices, including the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, the RMB Where to Invest in Africa Report, the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, the Africa Prosperity Rating, and others. Insights from these indices highlight the need to step up national efforts to strengthen the broader investment environment and address structural constraints to unlock Namibia’s growth potential and promote broad-based economic development. 

Key priorities include enhancing regulatory certainty and predictability, particularly in emerging sectors such as oil and gas and green hydrogen. Beyond emerging sectors, continued reforms will be needed to reduce regulatory barriers, improve infrastructure and service delivery, accelerate digital transformation, strengthen alignment between education and training systems and evolving labour market needs, support MSME development and expand access to finance to strengthen private sector participation and innovation. These efforts will further support Namibia’s ambition of becoming a more competitive, resilient and investor-ready economy while maximising the long-term benefits of global investment flows

Issued by:  Catherine Shipushu

Acting Executive: Competitiveness and Branding

Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board

Telephone: +264 83 333 8636 

Email: catherine.shipushu@nipdb.com