Namibia wants to increase oil production from zero to 150 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) and raise gas output to 130 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) by the end of the decade, according to the National Development Plan 6 (NDP6) launched by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in Windhoek on Monday.
As of 2024, Namibia had drilled 28 offshore exploration wells, 15 appraisal wells, and 10 onshore exploratory wells. Estimated reserves now stand at 11 billion barrels of oil and 2.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
The government aims to ensure local content in exploration, production, refining, storage and trading. It plans to grow technical capacity and develop university and TVET programmes tailored to oil and gas skills.
A new legal framework will mandate local participation across the value chain.
New legislation will replace outdated laws to reflect the risks, scale and evolving dynamics of the oil and gas sector. Issues such as decommissioning and environmental safety will be addressed.
Regional harmonisation will also be pursued to attract cross-border investment and trade.
Namibia will build pipelines, refineries, gas storage and processing facilities, and petrochemical plants. These will support both domestic use and regional exports. The plan includes gas-to-power projects to reduce energy imports and improve energy security.
The country will adopt carbon capture and storage (CCS) and integrate renewable energy with fossil fuel developments. The energy strategy aims to maintain an accessible, affordable and reliable supply that is also environmentally responsible.
