The Namibian government has tabled the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, 2025, proposing the establishment of a new upstream petroleum regulator under the Presidency.
The proposed Upstream Petroleum Unit ,would consolidate regulatory, licensing and compliance functions currently spread across several institutions.
The unit will be led by a Director-General, supported by a Deputy Director-General.
Presenting the Bill in Parliament, Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse said the new structure is intended to provide focused and technically competent oversight of exploration and production activities, while enabling faster and more consistent regulatory decision-making as activity in the sector accelerates.
Under the Bill, the Director-General would become the principal regulator of upstream petroleum operations, while the Deputy Director-General would oversee technical operations, inspections and staffing.
The role of the Commissioner for Petroleum Affairs currently held by Maggy Shino, would be repealed, with its associated powers transferred to the new regulatory framework.
The proposed changes amount to a major overhaul of Namibia’s upstream oil and gas governance framework as the country prepares for large-scale petroleum development, following significant offshore discoveries in the Orange Basin.
Amutse said the amendment is aimed at strengthening oversight, improving coordination and ensuring transparency in the management of the petroleum sector.
The Bill also introduces enhanced reporting and accountability measures. The executive will be required to submit an annual report to the National Assembly by 30 June each year, detailing all petroleum royalty remissions, deferrals or refunds granted during the preceding year.
According to the minister, this is intended to strengthen parliamentary oversight of fiscal decisions linked to the sector.
Conflict-of-interest provisions are also expanded under the Bill. Inspectors and staff of the proposed Upstream Petroleum Unit will be subject to stricter ethical requirements, while senior officials, including the Director-General and Deputy Director-General, will be required to declare their assets and interests to the President.
Amutse said these measures are designed to safeguard institutional integrity and maintain public confidence as the petroleum industry attracts increasing levels of local and international investment.
The Bill further updates the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of 1991 by removing outdated provisions and aligning the legislation with current regulatory, environmental and governance standards. It also seeks to improve coordination between the Presidency, the Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries involved in petroleum oversight.
To ensure continuity, the amendment includes transitional provisions confirming that all existing petroleum licences, agreements and approvals will remain valid once the new framework comes into effect. Ongoing applications will continue to be processed under the amended Act.
Amutse said the proposed reforms are intended to position Namibia to manage its petroleum resources responsibly and competitively, while ensuring that sector development proceeds within a transparent and accountable institutional framework.
The proposed regulatory shift follows appointments made in May last year by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who named former Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Kornelia Shilunga as Special Adviser and Head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit, and Carlo Lord Muhamed McLeod as Special Adviser and Deputy Head of the unit within the Presidency.
