JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, December 3, 2024/ -- Namibia is the current global oil and gas hotspot and is ready to become the energy hub for sub-Saharan Africa, delegates to African Energy Week 2024: Invest in Namibia Energy, heard this week.

In opening the session Tom Alweendo Minister of Mines and Energy called on African Nations to safeguard their socio-economic advantages from ongoing oil and gas operations. Namibia was doing this by ensuring its policies were geared to encourage investment an the county maintained a stable economy and efficient legal framework.

He said Namibia was working closely with energy companies to fast track delivery, and called on all stakeholders to embrace the challenge to build an African energy sector that was not only economically robust but environmentally responsible. 

With over 11 billion barrels of reserves discovered in the country’s Orange Basin since 2022 the race is on for the first oil production in Namibia with appraisal drilling by TotalEnergies, Shell and Galp Energia. The  National Petroleum Corporation of Namiba (Namcor) is also planning to drill three oil and gas wells by the first quarter of 2025.

According to Victoria Sibeya, Executive: Exploration Upstream, the wells are aimed at understanding the continuity of hydrocarbon flow from recent discoveries, as well as finding new ones.

Maggie Shino Petroleum Commissioner, Nambia Ministry of Mines and Energy put the tentative date for the production of first oil as 2029, adding “but this could be sooner.” The volume of gas discovered has also increased, and Namibia is looking at its gas potential and how to valorize it.

Selma Shimutwikeni CEO RichAfrica Consultancy an industry advisor, said that local content across the value chain is at the heart of Namibia’s energy strategy. “Local content is going to be key to unlocking the potential of the industry ensuring that it is a catalyst for shared growth and prosperity for Namibia’s three million people. We are well positioned in SADC to cater not only for our own needs but for the region as well. We can be the next energy hub in Southern Africa. To do this we need strategic partnerships between local and international companies and to ensure that the Namibians participate.

The role of Namibia as an energy hub where energy resources, innovation, and infrastructure converge to support both local and regional energy needs, create jobs, advance technology, ensure sustainability, and drive economic growth, will be the conversation of the 7th Namibia International Energy Conference (NIEC) in Windhoek Namibia from April 23 to 25, 2025, organised by RichAfrica Consultancy and endorsed by the Ministry of Mines and Energy Namibia.

Shimutwikeni said: “For the 7th edition of NIEC, we are moving from reimagining resource-rich Namibia to leading the way with impactful action. Over 900 delegates, including industry experts, investors, and decision-makers, NIEC 2025 aims to create a premier platform for establishing strategic partnerships that will propel Namibia toward becoming a regional energy hub.

Namibia also launched its IEA energy report on the country’s renewable energy mix. According to the new report, Namibia offers exceptional solar and wind energy potential, with significant year-round sunlight and substantial wind speeds in key areas. This, combined with low seasonal variability and population density, positions Namibia as an ideal location for large-scale renewable energy projects.

Accelerating the deployment of these renewable energy sources could offer transformative benefits for Namibia’s power sector – reducing the country’s reliance on electricity imports, improving energy security and lowering costs for consumers.