Namibia’s indigenous forests are under pressure from illegal logging, unsustainable harvesting and cross-border timber trafficking.
Among the trees at risk is Zambezi teak, a valuable hardwood whose slow growth, commercial appeal and ecological importance make its preservation a national responsibility.
Known scientifically as Baikiaea plurijuga, Zambezi teak is found in the north-eastern woodlands, particularly in the Kalahari Sands Woodland areas of the Zambezi and Kavango regions.
It is prized for its durable, dense timber, used in furniture, flooring, construction and other high-value products.
But its value is also its vulnerability.
Namibia’s timber resources have a long history of exploitation. Significant harvesting took place during the twentieth century, with renewed commercial activity recorded from around 2010.
The situation reached a worrying point in 2018, when an extreme spike in harvesting prompted the government to introduce a moratorium to protect vulnerable woodlands.
The problem, however, did not disappear with the moratorium.
Investigations by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) documented extensive stockpiles of protected hardwoods, including Zambezi teak, kiaat and African rosewood.
The investigation alleged that illegal timber continued moving through commercial networks despite restrictions, raising questions about enforcement, permit systems and the involvement of powerful interests.
Namibia has also been identified as a transit route for timber originating in neighbouring countries, including Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with consignments moving through Walvis Bay towards international markets.
The scale of the challenge is reflected in more recent enforcement figures. In December 2024, authorities reported that more than 1 600 pieces of illegal timber, together with 1 800 planks originating from Angola and Zambia, had been seized in Kavango West during 2023 and 2024.
In August 2026, further figures revealed that 3,556 illegally harvested planks had been confiscated in Kavango East and Kavango West between April 2025 and March 2026.
Authorities also reported 14 admission-of-guilt fines and six court cases involving alleged forestry offences.
These figures demonstrate that illegal timber activity remains a serious concern, even as enforcement efforts intensify.
There has, nevertheless, been an important development. In March 2026, Namibia launched its Wood Identification and Screening Centre in Windhoek.
Supported by more than US$2 million in American assistance, the facility uses forensic technology to identify timber species and help investigators establish whether consignments match their declared documentation.
This is an important step towards making environmental crime investigations more scientific and prosecutable.
But technology alone cannot save the forests. It must be supported by effective inspections, reliable permits, adequate forestry personnel, cross-border cooperation and meaningful prosecutions.
Preserving Zambezi teak is about far more than protecting a commercially valuable tree. Indigenous woodlands support biodiversity, provide habitats for wildlife, protect soils, regulate water systems and sustain communities whose livelihoods depend on forest resources.
These trees also represent an economic opportunity. Properly managed, they can support local industries, skilled employment and sustainable rural development.
But once mature trees are removed faster than forests can regenerate, that opportunity is destroyed. A tree that takes decades to mature cannot be replaced by the proceeds of a quick transaction.
Namibia must therefore establish a comprehensive national forest inventory, determine sustainable harvesting limits and ensure that communities benefit from protecting, rather than depleting, their natural resources.
Legal harvesting, where permitted, must be transparent, traceable and environmentally responsible.
Our forests are not an endless supply of timber waiting to be converted into export revenue. They are part of Namibia’s natural heritage and an inheritance owed to future generations.
The question is no longer whether Namibia can afford to protect its teak. It is whether we can afford to lose it.
