Namibia Minute.
Thursday, 23 July 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 23 July 2026
Windhoek—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Namibian press · Organization

Rosatom

Also known as: Russian state-owned mining company Rosatom · Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation

Russian state-owned nuclear energy company operating uranium mining projects and nuclear facilities in Namibia and internationally.

2024-07-302026-07-23

What’s been said

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

  1. January 2026
  2. New Era

    Rosatom plans to complete uranium exploration in Namibia by 2026, with commercial mining targeted for 2029

    Source

    Rosatom plans to complete uranium exploration in Namibia by 2026, with commercial mining targeted for 2029, subject, of course, to regulatory approvals and international safeguards.

    Namibia, Russia focus on economic alliance …to turn historic ties into viable partnership
  3. August 2025
  4. The Namibian

    Rosatom signed a co-operation agreement with Nigerien authorities

    Source

    It is talking about power generation and medical applications, with a focus on training local expertise under a co-operation agreement signed between Russian-state corporation Rosatom and the Nigerien authorities.

    Russia outsmarts France with nuclear power move in Niger
Mining & Energy

Namibia stakes 24% of Hyphen hydrogen project, expands uranium exploration

The News

Namibia's government holds a 24% equity stake in the Hyphen Green Hydrogen Project through the Sovereign Wealth Fund, with its share funded through grants from development partners. The country is also expanding uranium exploration in the Omaheke Region and Nasan Energies has acquired 52 service stations to become Namibia's third-largest oil marketing company.

20 July 2026 · Informanté

Monday 20 July

  1. Namibia stakes 24% of Hyphen hydrogen project, expands uranium exploration

    Namibia's government holds a 24% equity stake in the Hyphen Green Hydrogen Project through the Sovereign Wealth Fund, with its share funded through grants from development partners. The country is also expanding uranium exploration in the Omaheke Region and Nasan Energies has acquired 52 service stations to become Namibia's third-largest oil marketing company.

    20 July 2026 · Informanté

Thursday 16 July

  1. Namibian learner wins place on North Pole expedition

    Kadhikwa Tironenn Amutenya won an international science competition and earned a place on Rosatom's Icebreaker of Knowledge 2026 expedition, which will take her aboard a nuclear-powered icebreaker to the North Pole in August. Nearly 5,000 learners aged 14–16 from 23 countries competed for the opportunity.

    16 July 2026 · Informanté

Friday 10 July

  1. Namibian nuclear youth leader attends Russian international forum

    Namibia participated in the Obninsk New 2026 International Youth Forum in Russia, which brought together more than 700 participants from 85 countries to discuss workforce development for the global nuclear industry. Noble Eiaseb, founder of the Association of Young Generation in Nuclear of Namibia, won the Atoms Empowering Africa video contest and attended the forum alongside a specialised summer school for international students.

    10 July 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 5 July

  1. Obninsk forum advances nuclear education cooperation with Namibia

    The Obninsk NEW'26 Forum in Russia reinforced international cooperation in nuclear education and training, with agreements signed to expand engineering education and global capacity-building initiatives, including growing engagement with Namibia. The forum, supported by the IAEA, emphasised training a new generation of nuclear specialists as global nuclear capacity is projected to triple by 2050.

    5 July 2026 · Informanté

  2. African youth leaders discuss nuclear energy cooperation in Russia

    Young leaders from Africa and other regions participated in discussions on nuclear energy cooperation, education and sustainable development at the Obninsk NEW'26 International Youth Forum in Russia, including a meeting with Rosatom Director General and members of the Impact Team 2050 International Youth Council.

    5 July 2026 · Informanté

Sunday 14 June

  1. Uzbekistan begins world's first export small modular nuclear plant

    ROSATOM has begun construction of the world's first export small modular nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan's Jizzakh Region, with the first concrete poured on 4 June 2026. Once completed, the plant is expected to supply up to 14% of Uzbekistan's electricity demand and offers a reference point for other uranium-producing nations, including Namibia, exploring nuclear power options.

    14 June 2026 · Informanté

Tuesday 2 June

  1. Rosatom seeks uranium mining approval pending IAEA report

    Russian state-owned Rosatom, through subsidiary Headspring Investments, claims groundwater in the Stampriet Basin already contains uranium at levels approximately 300 times higher than WHO drinking water guidelines. The company awaits an independent IAEA report on its proposed in situ leaching uranium mining project in Omaheke Region, which the Namibian government has received and Cabinet is reviewing.

    2 June 2026 · Informanté

Tuesday 26 May

  1. Namibian delegation visits Russian uranium mine to study extraction methods

    A delegation of Namibian farmers, a journalist, and employees from Headspring Investments visited the Dalur in-situ uranium mine in Russia to learn about its operations and extraction methods. The mine uses in-situ leaching, which dissolves uranium underground and pumps it to the surface, avoiding open-pit mining, tunnelling, and tailings ponds.

    26 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Tuesday 19 May

  1. Russian farmers report no disruption from in-situ uranium mining

    Farmers operating near Dalur in-situ leaching uranium mine in Russia's Kurgan region say agricultural activities have continued without disruption since the mine was established, with no decline in product quality. The remarks were made during a meeting with mine management and Headspring Investments, a Russian subsidiary of Rosatom that is exploring for uranium in Namibia's Omaheke region using the same method.

    19 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Wednesday 15 April

  1. UNAM team advances to Global HackAtom nuclear innovation finals

    The University of Namibia's NamHack Innovators team won Namibia's national round of the Global HackAtom 2026 competition and secured a spot at the international grand final in Russia. The 24-hour hackathon challenged teams to design solutions for sustainable energy supply in southern Africa's coastal regions using nuclear technology.

    15 April 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 12 April

  1. RP accuses Headspring of influencing communities over uranium mining

    Republican Party president Henk Mudge accused Headspring Investments, a Russian state subsidiary, of using material incentives to sway communities and officials to accept uranium mining in Omaheke via in-situ leaching, which he warned poses serious contamination risks to the Stampriet aquifer and shared transboundary water systems. Headspring disputed the allegations, stating the project relies on advanced technologies used worldwide and operates under strict regulatory oversight.

    12 April 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 10 April

  1. Republican Party opposes Stampriet uranium mining project

    The Republican Party's leader Henk Mudge has called for citizens to reject uranium mining in the Stampriet artesian basin, warning that in situ leaching operations could permanently contaminate one of southern Africa's most important underground water sources and pose risks to agriculture across Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.

    10 April 2026 · New Era

Thursday 19 March

  1. Swapo deputy denies allegations of Russian election campaign support

    Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga has rejected allegations reported by Forbidden Stories that the ruling party requested Russian support for its 2024 election campaign. The non-profit news organization reported leaked documents from Russian operatives allegedly showing requests for funding and involvement in disinformation operations, including a fabricated letter claiming UK financing of the opposition IPC.

    19 March 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 8 March

  1. Parliament backs Russian uranium mining near Stampriet aquifer

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has endorsed the continuation of uranium mining by Headspring Investments, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned Rosatom, in the Leonardville area despite environmental concerns about contamination of the Stampriet aquifer. The committee chair argues that uranium is a natural resource already present in the area and that In-Situ Recovery technology, refined over 50 years, should be allowed to proceed to acquire scientific knowledge and enable Namibia to develop its nuclear industry.

    8 March 2026 · Informanté

Saturday 7 March

  1. Parliamentary uranium project recommendation sparks heated controversy

    A parliamentary standing committee recommended allowing Rosatom to proceed with uranium exploration and mining in the Stampriet Artesian Basin, arguing the project could help gather scientific data on natural contamination. The recommendation has drawn criticism from former agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein and farming groups, who warn the project could permanently damage the aquifer—Namibia's key drinking water source for the arid south—and lack scientific grounding, while supporters cite potential economic benefits and Rosatom's expertise.

    7 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 5 March

  1. Parliamentary committee endorses Rosatom uranium project in Leonardville

    Namibia's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has backed uranium exploration by Russian state-owned Rosatom in the Omaheke region, citing potential for billions in investment and thousands of jobs, though the project faces resistance from environmentalists and farmers concerned about groundwater contamination.

    5 March 2026 · New Era

Thursday 26 February

  1. Government says Omaheke uranium decision will rest on science

    Namibia's environment ministry will base its decision on a proposed uranium mining project in Omaheke on scientific findings, not politics, the government said. The project—an in-situ leach mining operation by Headsprings Investments (under Russian state-owned Rosatom)—has raised concerns about contamination of the Stampriet aquifer, which supplies water to the region and neighbouring countries. The government has requested a technical assessment from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which will deliver its report in March.

    26 February 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 15 February

  1. Namibian students gain nuclear science training in Russia

    Namibian students participated in the International Tech School in Obninsk, Russia, where more than 120 participants from 47 countries received hands-on training in nuclear science and technology. One Namibian participant said the programme strengthened his commitment to developing nuclear education and technology in Namibia.

    15 February 2026 · Informanté

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

Monday 9 February

  1. Hungary begins construction of EU's first VVER-1200 nuclear plant

    Hungary has begun construction of the Paks II nuclear power plant, marking the first facility in the European Union to feature third-generation VVER-1200 reactors. The project, built with Russian technology through Rosatom, received construction permits in November 2025 and represents a strategic development for Hungary's nuclear energy sector.

    9 February 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 23 January

  1. Namibia-Russia ties shift from ideology to economic strategy

    An editorial argues that Namibia's recent ministerial visit to Russia marks a pragmatic shift from historical solidarity to practical economic cooperation, with bilateral trade nearly doubling in 2024 and new opportunities in uranium, agriculture, and value-added manufacturing.

    23 January 2026 · New Era

Tuesday 20 January

  1. Namibia and Russia deepen economic ties with energy cooperation

    Following a Moscow visit by Namibia's International Relations Minister, the two countries are shifting their historic political relationship toward structured economic partnership. Discussions centred on mining, energy, agriculture, and logistics, with particular focus on uranium cooperation through Russia's Rosatom, which plans exploration by 2026 and commercial mining by 2029, while bilateral trade nearly doubled in 2024 to US$11.7 million.

    20 January 2026 · New Era

Rosatom — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute