Namibia faces a shortage of specialised skills needed to capitalise on recent oil and gas discoveries, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has said, urging learners to pursue studies aligned to the sector.
“The recent oil and gas discoveries underscore an urgent need for a skilled workforce to facilitate efficient extraction, processing, and value addition within the country. Therefore, I advise you, as learners, to consider pursuing academic and vocational fields that focus on natural resource extraction, engineering, environmental management, and related areas in order to contribute directly to Namibia’s economic transformation and maximise the benefits from our natural resources,” she told a recent event in Kongola.
The Petroleum Training and Education Fund (PETROFUND) says it has trained 432 Namibians to date as it moves to strengthen the country’s skills base in the oil and gas sector.
Government has previously proposed establishing an Oil and Gas Institute, in partnership with industry stakeholders, to support local entrepreneurs and address critical skills gaps.
The institute would focus on equipping Namibians with the technical skills needed to participate in the industry.
According to the Oil and Gas Industrial Baseline Survey conducted by Deloitte, Namibia has identified a shortage of skilled labour as a key challenge, alongside the need for local suppliers to upskill to participate effectively.
Namibia’s oil and gas sector is currently in the appraisal and exploration phase, which typically lasts two to five years and involves significant drilling and data analysis.
