Zambia has proposed to construct an oil and gas pipeline from Walvis Bay to Lusaka, The Brief has learnt.
The plan, which is said to be driven by a private Zambian company, aims to provide the neighbouring country with a constant energy supply, with the port of Walvis Bay being used as a docking port for Zambia’s oil and gas supplies.
Zambia’s interest in the project is high, with Zambia’s Minister of Energy, Peter Kapala having planned to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mines and Energy minister, Tom Alweendo during the recently held Energy Conference in Windhoek.
The MoU signing plan was, however, scuppered by the requirement for a Namibian cabinet approval before the Mines and Energy Ministry signs the agreement.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy confirmed the plans for a pipeline to The Brief, although it remained tight-lipped on further details, including what role Namibia will play in the project, which the Zambians expect to take at least four years to implement, according to media reports.
“The Ministry can confirm that there are talks for the construction of an oil and gas pipeline. However, discussions between the two countries have not been finalised and an MoU that speaks to the said project has not been signed yet. Currently discussions are still underway, thus we cannot say much,” Mines Ministry Spokesperson Andreas Simon said in response to an inquiry from The Brief.
The Namibian pipeline plans come as Zambia and Angola last year signed a US$5 billion deal to build an oil pipeline between the two countries.
The pipeline is aimed at supplying finished petroleum products from oil-rich Angola to Zambia.
The Angolan petroleum pipeline will also be developed by the private sector with state-owned petroleum Angolan firm SANANGOL and the Zambia state company Industrial Development Corporation-IDC Zambia Ltd. as strategic equity partners.
Once completed, the Zambia-Angola multi-product petroleum pipeline will transport petrol, diesel, kerosene, and gas.
