President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for Namibians to take the lead in shaping the country’s energy future, emphasising the importance of local capacity building, sustainable development, and good governance.
Delivering her remarks through Prime Minister Dr Elijah Ngurare at the official opening of the 7th edition of the Namibia International Energy Conference on Wednesday, President Nandi-Ndaitwah urged greater collaboration between government, academia, and industry.
“We call on all stakeholders – investors, operators, and service providers – to be active partners in building local capacity. Let us prioritise skills development, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing across the energy value chain. Namibia’s energy future must be led by Namibians – capable, empowered, and globally competitive,” she said.
This year’s conference, held under the theme “Leading the Way: Becoming an Energy Hub with In-Country Value”, underscores Namibia’s ambition to leverage its rich natural resources, including oil, gas, and renewable energy, to stimulate economic growth and regional leadership.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the country’s energy agenda goes beyond resource extraction, with a focus on creating lasting value for Namibians.
“We aim to position Namibia as one of Africa’s most attractive and reliable destinations for energy investment, where partnerships are built on trust, accountability, and shared long-term value. Furthermore, Namibia’s energy ambitions will remain firmly aligned with our environmental values,” she said.
Highlighting recent significant oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin, she stressed the importance of responsible and sustainable resource development, with revenues reinvested into public infrastructure and services.
She further outlined the government’s focus on local content, pointing to the need for active Namibian participation at every stage of the energy value chain.
“We recognise that each stage of the energy value chain – from exploration to production – presents unique opportunities and requires tailored levels of participation. Our goal is to enable meaningful Namibian involvement by building skills, supporting local businesses, and fostering an environment where talent and enterprise can thrive,” she added.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah also underscored that strong institutions and sound governance are critical to ensuring Namibia’s energy success.
“Our institutions will continue to be strengthened to ensure that Namibia’s natural wealth is managed fairly, responsibly, and in the best interest of its people,” she said.
She reaffirmed government efforts to create a transparent and enabling investment environment, including the streamlining of regulatory processes and policy clarity.
“Corruption has no place in this journey, while integrity must guide all Namibians at every step. We are streamlining regulatory processes, strengthening institutional coordination, and ensuring policy clarity to support timely and transparent decisions across the energy value chain,” said the President.
Namibia’s energy sector is poised for significant expansion, with potential spanning oil, gas, solar, wind, hydroelectric, and nuclear energy, as well as critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies.
“Our goal is to export power, strategic energy commodities, and knowledge partnerships, while promoting regional integration and advancing Africa’s collective energy security,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
