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Thursday, 25 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 25 June 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Orano

Also known as: Areva

2022-10-212026-06-25

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. February 2026
  2. The Namibian

    Orano was seized control from by Niger's military government of country's main uranium mine

    Source

    Niger's military government has seized control of the country's main uranium mine from the longstanding French operator, Orano, and is now lining up Russia as its new partner in the sector.

    Three West African juntas have turned to Russia. Now the US wants to engage them
  3. August 2025
  4. The Namibian

    Orano was nationalised in June

    Source

    The uranium-mining operation operated by French nuclear group Orano was nationalised in June, which cleared the way for Russia to put itself forward as a new partner.

    Russia outsmarts France with nuclear power move in Niger
Society

Political backlash over Chinese majority stake in desalination plant

The News

Opposition MPs and analysts have criticized the government's agreement to give China General Nuclear Power Group a 70% controlling stake in a N$3-billion coastal desalination plant while the state retains only 30%, raising concerns about water sovereignty and affordability for poor Namibians. NamWater and Swakop Uranium defended the joint venture structure as necessary to finance critical infrastructure while maintaining public sector participation.

15 March 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 15 March

  1. Political backlash over Chinese majority stake in desalination plant

    Opposition MPs and analysts have criticized the government's agreement to give China General Nuclear Power Group a 70% controlling stake in a N$3-billion coastal desalination plant while the state retains only 30%, raising concerns about water sovereignty and affordability for poor Namibians. NamWater and Swakop Uranium defended the joint venture structure as necessary to finance critical infrastructure while maintaining public sector participation.

    15 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 26 February

  1. Namibia should pursue uranium conversion facility first

    Bannerman Energy's project chief Gavin Chamberlain has advised Namibia to target investment in a uranium conversion facility as the most realistic next step in value addition, though he warns that such a facility would require extremely high uranium volumes to be economically viable and would face contractual hurdles from international utilities that currently dictate delivery destinations under existing contracts.

    26 February 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 20 February

  1. N$2.1bn desalination plant planned in Erongo region

    NamWater and Swakop Uranium will jointly develop a new desalination plant in Erongo, with the government holding a 30% stake and the uranium miner 70%, at a cost of N$2.1 billion based on a 2021 feasibility study. Construction is expected to begin in June 2026 and be completed by mid-2028, adding 20 million cubic metres of water annually to meet growing demand from the mining sector.

    20 February 2026 · New Era

Friday 13 February

  1. Namibia pursues nuclear power to achieve energy independence

    Namibia, the world's third-largest uranium producer, is advancing nuclear power plans to reduce energy imports and meet growing demand. President Nandi-Ndaitwah has announced plans for the country's first nuclear power plant with support from Rosatom and China, though the project faces challenges including high capital costs and limited technical expertise.

    13 February 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 12 February

  1. Namibia pursues nuclear power to boost energy security

    As the world's third-largest uranium producer, Namibia is advancing plans for its first nuclear power plant to reduce reliance on imported electricity and support its Vision 2030 development goals, backed by international partnerships with Russia and China. The project faces significant capital costs and requires imported technical expertise, but recent cabinet approval of Namibia's Nuclear Industry Strategy signals sustained government commitment.

    12 February 2026 · New Era

Saturday 7 February

  1. Namibia to showcase mining opportunities at 2026 Indaba

    Namibia will participate in the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 in Cape Town in February to attract investors and development partners to its mining sector. The country will host two investment-focused sessions highlighting its stable mining environment, mineral resources including uranium and diamonds, and projects seeking support for exploration, processing and value addition.

    7 February 2026 · New Era

Monday 2 February

  1. US shifts policy toward West African juntas aligned with Russia

    The Trump administration is signalling a new approach to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—military-run states that have expelled France and turned to Russia for defence support. The US is prioritizing security cooperation and counter-terrorism over previous concerns about democracy and human rights, and aims to balance Russian influence in the region through intelligence and weapons support.

    2 February 2026 · The Namibian

Orano — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute