Bannerman targets more than 80% Namibian workforce
Bannerman Energy is targeting a workforce comprising more than 80% Namibian employees as it prepares to advance the Etango Uranium Project in the Erongo region towards future operations.
Bannerman Energy is targeting a workforce comprising more than 80% Namibian employees as it prepares to advance the Etango Uranium Project in the Erongo region towards future operations.
The target forms part of the company’s new sustainability priorities for the 2027 financial year, which also include strengthening local skills development, environmental management and community investment as the project moves closer to construction and eventual production.
Bannerman said it will advance implementation of its workforce plan through staged recruitment and capability development, while establishing a human resources information and payroll system to support organisational growth.
The company’s sustainability report says the focus is intended to prepare the organisation for the transition from project development to operational readiness.
During the 2026 financial year, Bannerman assessed workforce requirements for the following 12 to 18 months, with emphasis on recruiting and onboarding management, operational, technical, health and safety, environmental and support personnel ahead of future operations.
The Etango project, located in the Erongo Region, is one of the major uranium developments being advanced in Namibia.
Bannerman says the project has received all environmental approvals for the proposed mine and associated external infrastructure, while a mining licence was awarded in December 2023.
The company said a definitive feasibility study completed in December 2022 confirmed the technical and economic viability of the Etango-8 project based on conventional open-pit mining and heap-leach processing at a throughput of eight million tonnes a year.
The study envisaged average annual production of 3.5 million pounds of uranium oxide, while a subsequent 2024 scoping study demonstrated potential to increase annual production to 6.7 million pounds.
Bannerman’s sustainability report also highlights a strategic joint venture agreement with CNNC Overseas Limited for the Etango Project, alongside continued progress on early works during FY2026.
The company said these developments have required it to strengthen its governance, management systems and organisational capability ahead of full-scale construction.
On the environmental front, Bannerman reported no reportable environmental incidents during the 2026 financial year.
Two independent environmental audits were completed without non-conformances, while the company’s Environmental Clearance Certificates remained in place.
The company also updated its mine closure plan and reviewed potential waste-rock materials for use in rehabilitation and closure activities.
Community investment remains another key component of the company’s activities in Namibia. Bannerman supported 355 learners at 17 disadvantaged primary schools in the Erongo region through its Early Learner Assistance programme.
Although the original target was 400 learners during the reporting period, the company said the remaining 45 learners were supported in July 2026.
The company also continued its support for the Mondesa Youth Opportunities programme and provided funding to organisations including the Tourism Supporting Conservation Trust, Hospitality Association of Namibia and Namibia Chamber of Environment.
Infrastructure support was also provided to Vanessa Kindergarten and the Katora Primary School hostel in Spitzkoppe.
