Namibia could one day join the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), provided it meets the necessary criteria, OPEC Secretary General Haitham al-Ghais has said.
Al-Ghais said the organisation is in discussions with several African nations regarding possible membership, naming Namibia as one of the countries with potential.
“I have held meetings with a number of African countries, for example, Senegal. Namibia has potential in the future. But I cannot make an official statement regarding the accession of new members,” al-Ghais told TASS.
He emphasised that any new member would need to align with OPEC’s objectives and be a significant oil exporter.
“We are always open to accepting new members into OPEC if they meet the organisation’s criteria. Obviously, these countries should have similar goals to other OPEC members. They should also be significant exporters,” he said.
This comes after OPEC announced last year its interest in exploring potential collaboration with Namibia, as the country prepares for its first offshore oil production by 2030.
Significant oil and gas discoveries have been made in the Orange Basin since 2022. Experts believe these finds only hint at the vast potential of Namibia’s hydrocarbon basins, with the country poised to become Africa’s fourth-largest oil producer.
