Namibia recorded a higher average price for its diamonds than some of the world’s biggest producers in 2025, underlining the country’s position as a leading producer of high-value diamonds despite a difficult global market.
According to the latest Kimberley Process statistics, Namibia achieved an average export price of US$282.54 per carat, higher than the averages recorded by the three largest diamond-producing countries by volume – Russia, Botswana and Canada.
State-owned diamond marketing company Namdia achieved an average price of US$339.87 per carat, about 20% higher than the national average.
The figures show that although countries such as Russia, Botswana and Canada produce far more diamonds than Namibia, the country continues to earn more for each carat it sells.
The comparison is based on the average price per carat, not total diamond sales, meaning countries with bigger production volumes can still earn more overall.
Namibia has built a reputation for producing high-quality diamonds. Most are recovered from marine deposits off the country’s southern coast, where natural processes over millions of years left behind a higher concentration of gem-quality stones.
This has helped Namibia consistently achieve some of the highest prices per carat in the world.
Namdia Public Relations and Communications Officer Beverley Coussement said the results show that buyers continue to pay premium prices for Namibian diamonds despite challenging market conditions.
“The 2025 results show that while Namibia achieved an average price of US$282.54 (around N$4,678.20) per carat, Namdia realised US$339.87 (N$5 628.25) per carat. This reflects our role of testing the market and achieving the best possible value for Namibian diamonds,” she said.
Coussement said Namdia’s higher average price was not because the company receives better-quality diamonds.
She said Namdia receives 15% of Namibia’s run-of-mine diamond production, with its allocation coming from the same production as the rest of the country’s diamonds.
The company then markets and sells its allocation independently on the international market.
Namdia sold 259 700.75 carats in 2025 at an average price of US$339.87 per carat.
Coussement said stronger prices are good for the country because diamonds remain one of Namibia’s most valuable natural resources.
“Higher Namdia earnings result in higher export levies being paid to the state and higher income tax contributions. While these figures alone cannot determine the number of jobs created or the exact revenue collected by government, they show Namibia continues to secure strong value from its diamond resources,” she said.
-pmukokobi@nepc.com.na
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