Namibia: Merchandise imports (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Namibia's merchandise imports (current US$) fell 5.1% on 2024 (from US$8.88 billion to US$8.43 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +7.3% and a typical year strayed about 14.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 52.5% in 1986 and the biggest yearly fall was 29% in 1985. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 24% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Namibia had the 122nd highest value of the 204 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Namibia in the 2025 ranking

• Malta — 119th of 204: US$9.22 billion
• Mozambique — 120th of 204: US$9.21 billion
• Cuba — 121st of 204: US$8.75 billion
• Guinea — 123rd of 204: US$8.34 billion
• Tajikistan — 124th of 204: US$8.31 billion
• Syrian Arab Republic — 125th of 204: US$7.91 billion

What this measures

Merchandise imports includes goods whose economic ownership is changed from a non-resident to a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.

Limitations: The value of imports is generally recorded as the cost of the goods when purchased by the importer plus the cost of transport and insurance to the frontier of the importing country - the cost, insurance, and freight (c.i.f.) value, corresponding to the landed cost at the point of entry of foreign goods into the country. A few countries collect import data on a free on board (f.o.b.) basis and adjust them for freight and insurance costs. Countries may report trade according to the general or special system of trade. Under the general system imports include goods imported for domestic consumption and imports into bonded warehouses and free trade zones.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 46 values

Merchandise imports (current US$) in nearby economies

• Angola — US$14.97 billion (2025)
• Benin — US$4.95 billion (2025)
• Botswana — US$6.4 billion (2025)
• Burkina Faso — US$7.57 billion (2025)
• Burundi — US$1.19 billion (2025)
• Cabo Verde — US$2.04 billion (2025)
• Cameroon — US$9.4 billion (2025)
• Central African Republic — US$573 million (2025)
• Chad — US$2.2 billion (2025)
• Comoros — US$371 million (2025)
• Congo, Dem. Rep.

More private sector & trade data for Namibia

• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 102.45% (2025)
• Import unit value index (2015 = 100) — 138 (2025)
• Export unit value index (2015 = 100) — 152.1 (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$7.02 billion (2025)
• Insurance and financial services (% of commercial service imports) — 1.88% (2024)
• Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports) — 80.23% (2024)
• Commercial service imports (current US$) — US$2.44 billion (2024)
• Transport services (% of commercial service imports) — 13.22% (2024)
• Travel services (% of commercial service imports) — 4.68% (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Namibia's merchandise imports (current US$)?

US$8.43 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1980?

It is up 628.81% from US$1.16 billion in 1980 (4.51% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$8.88 billion in 2024 and the lowest US$581 million in 1985.

How does Namibia rank?

122nd highest of 204 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in merchandise imports (current US$) unusual for Namibia?

In 2025, Namibia's merchandise imports (current US$) fell 5.1% on 2024 (from US$8.88 billion to US$8.43 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +7.3% and a typical year strayed about 14.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator TM.VAL.MRCH.CD.WT, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Trade Organization (WTO) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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