Can a company be wholly owned by foreigners in Namibia?
Yes. Under Namibian law a company can generally be 100% foreign‑owned. There is no across‑the‑board local ownership requirement in the Companies Act, and foreign shareholders may incorporate a Namibian company or register an external (foreign) company to do business in Namibia.
However, while full foreign ownership is broadly permitted, certain sectors or assets have restrictions, licensing conditions, or strong policy preferences that can affect ownership and control:
- Fisheries: Commercial fishing rights are typically reserved for Namibian citizens or Namibian‑owned entities, with policy favouring majority local ownership and genuine local participation.
- Agricultural (commercial) land: Foreign acquisition and long-term leases by foreigners are restricted and generally require ministerial consent; alternatives include leases with a duration of less than 10 years or holding structures approved by the authorities.
- Mining, energy, and natural resources: Licenses are required; in practice, regulatory conditions and state interests (e.g. through state‑owned enterprises) can influence ownership and participation terms, especially for strategic minerals and hydrocarbons.
- Banking, insurance, telecoms, aviation and other regulated industries: Licensing, fit‑and‑proper tests and local incorporation requirements apply; sector regulators may impose ownership or control conditions.
- Public procurement and empowerment policies: While not a blanket ownership cap, local content and empowerment preferences can practically favour Namibian shareholding for government contracts and certain approvals.