Okanjande set for 2027 restart

Northern Graphite has made Namibia the centrepiece of its 2027 growth strategy, with the planned restart of the Okanjande graphite mine expected to underpin an international battery materials business spanning Africa, Saudi Arabia, Europe and North America.

In his annual message to shareholders, chief executive Hugues Jacquemin said the company was building resilient graphite supply chains outside China by linking its mining assets in Canada and Namibia with battery anode material processing in Saudi Arabia, Germany, France and Canada.

He said the strategy was no longer a long-term ambition but one that was already taking shape through the company's mining assets, processing technology and strategic partnerships.

Namibia occupies a central place in that strategy. Northern completed the relocation of its processing plant from the former Okorusu site to Okanjande at the end of June, describing the move as the first execution step towards restarting production in late 2027, subject to financing.

The relocation, which involved moving the plant about 85 kilometres, is expected to lower operating costs, eliminate the need to transport ore between sites and position Okanjande as the source of graphite for the company's downstream expansion.

The restart is closely tied to Northern's proposed US$200 million Battery Anode Material plant in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.

Jacquemin said the joint venture agreement with Obeikan Investment Group includes an offtake provision for up to 50,000 tonnes of graphite concentrate a year from Okanjande, effectively creating a customer for future Namibian production and providing what he described as the commercial foundation needed to support financing and restart efforts at the mine. Construction of the Yanbu facility is expected to begin in early 2027, subject to a final investment decision later this year, with production targeted for 2028.