Namibia and Gabon are exploring cooperation in green energy, petroleum services and oil refining as the two countries seek to deepen trade ties and align their resource-driven growth strategies.
Speaking at the Gabon Business Forum, Gabon’s Ambassador to Namibia, Edwige Koumby Missambo, said her country is seeking strategic partnerships that leverage Namibia’s experience in mining governance, renewable energy development and resource transparency.
Missambo said Gabon, where more than 80% of the territory is covered by forest, is working to diversify its economy beyond hydrocarbons through infrastructure expansion, agriculture and services, while strengthening port and digital connectivity.
“We have a strategic geographical position in Central Africa. We have projects to develop port and digital infrastructure. We are in great need of infrastructure and we also have the willingness to diversify our economy towards agriculture and services, among others,” Missambo said.
She noted that Namibia’s track record in integrating mining into economic growth, as well as its progress in green and solar energy, presents opportunities for structured cooperation. Transparent frameworks in resource management were also identified as a key area of interest for Gabon.
“You have also made significant advances in green and solar energy. That is an area where we can cooperate and partner. You are also very strong in transparency, and that is key. When developing resources, frameworks must be in place to ensure that the benefits contribute to national development and to the people,” she said.
On the Namibian side, Executive Director in the Ministry of International Relations and Trade, Penda Naanda Nghiipondoka-Robiati, said the forum was convened to identify joint projects and stimulate business linkages across key sectors, including petroleum services and downstream processing.
She said Namibian public and private sector stakeholders could explore joint ventures and knowledge exchange in fisheries, timber, marine protection, petroleum services, oil refining and aquaculture, alongside broader cooperation in oil and gas and environmental conservation.
“The objective of this business forum is to bring Gabonese and Namibian business leaders together with the ultimate goal of identifying joint projects that could lead to economic partnerships in various fields and intensify exchanges in key development sectors for mutual benefit,” she said.
Nghiipondoka-Robiati added that opportunities to expand trade remain strong, particularly within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single African market for goods and services by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers.
“We can really unite our forces together, our resources together and our knowledge together. It is the only way Africa can develop,” Missambo said, expressing hope that initial engagements would translate into concrete partnerships in energy and industrial development.
Both sides indicated that a Joint Commission of Cooperation could be established to formalise collaboration, as Namibia and Gabon position themselves to leverage hydrocarbons, renewable energy and value-added petroleum services within a broader African market integration agenda.
