Namibia’s political stability and strong regulatory framework place it in a favourable position to develop its oil and gas sector, according to Esueme Kikile, General Manager for Human Capacity Development at Nigeria’s Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
“You also lost your previous president. What did you do? You were able to transition seamlessly, hold elections, and establish a new government. What does that demonstrate? Stability. Because you have a stable system, investors and all those involved in your country are attracted to it. They are seeking a stable political environment and a stable regulatory framework,” Kikile told the recently held Namibia Oil and Gas Conference.
He noted that Namibia’s century-long educational heritage provides a foundation to avoid the “Dutch disease”, while targeted programmes such as STEM education and updated university curricula are critical for sustaining growth.
“So, it’s easy for you to adapt and evolve in order to build on the successes seen elsewhere in Africa. We have also demonstrated that one of the key ways to build capacity is by providing adequate funding,” he said.
Kikile urged Namibia to leverage Nigeria’s experience while maintaining local content and stability to secure long-term success in the oil and gas sector.
“So, I’m sure that Namibia already has valuable lessons to share, lessons that even those of us from Nigeria can learn from. We are here, always ready, as part of an African ecosystem, to learn from and share with each other,” he said.
Namibia has experienced significant oil discoveries in its Orange Basin, with major players such as Shell, TotalEnergies and Galp Energia announcing finds in 2022 and 2023. These discoveries, including the Graff, Venus and Mopane finds, have generated excitement about Namibia’s potential to become a major oil producer.
