Baker Hughes’ integrated multi-modal facility at the Port of Walvis Bay is emerging as a key logistics and service base for Namibia’s offshore oil and gas operations, drawing attention from a visiting United States government delegation assessing the country’s growing energy capacity.
The visit highlighted the commercial importance of localised infrastructure in supporting drilling, subsea servicing and fluid supply close to offshore developments, as operators scale activity and supply chains increasingly consolidate around Walvis Bay.
Baker Hughes Namibia Country Director for Oilfield Services and Equipment (OFSE), Victor Joseph, said Namibia is positioned to become one of Africa’s leading energy suppliers, with the company’s Walvis Bay facilities playing a role in supporting that trajectory.
“Baker Hughes has made substantial investments in Namibia through both our facilities and our localisation efforts that are creating economic opportunity for Namibia and its people,” said Joseph.
The delegation, led by United States Ambassador to Namibia John Giordano and joined by officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, toured the company’s liquid mud plant, cement bulk facility and integrated operations hub to assess how service capacity is being positioned to support offshore field development.
Baker Hughes provides drilling services, subsea wellheads, drilling and completions fluids, and tubular running services to operators active in Namibia. Its Walvis Bay liquid mud plant has a capacity of 15,000 barrels, designed to ensure local availability of materials for offshore projects and reduce reliance on distant supply points.
Joseph said the integrated facility also includes testing and maintenance equipment used in subsea operations, allowing staging and servicing to take place close to offshore activity. This positioning supports faster deployment timelines and operational continuity as upstream activity expands.
He added that the company is advancing localisation initiatives linked to sector growth, noting that Baker Hughes recently hosted Namibian suppliers, alongside representatives from the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board and Petrofund, at facilities in Nigeria to expose participants to established oil and gas supply operations.
Ambassador Giordano said cooperation between the United States and Namibia is contributing to technical skills development and future employment opportunities as the country’s offshore oil, gas and critical minerals sectors expand.
“We met several young Namibians, some of whom have been educated in Houston, some in Dubai, and some elsewhere. But Baker Hughes not only invests locally, they train locally, and they provide education to local Namibians both here on the ground and back in Houston, giving them incredible technical expertise and opening up many jobs on the horizon,” said Giordano.
At its Walvis Bay base, Baker Hughes employs locally trained personnel and has provided technical training to staff from the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia and the Ministry of Mines and Energy, supporting workforce development aligned with offshore sector growth.
