Namibia is looking to deepen its collaboration with Nigeria in the oil and gas sector, seeking to leverage the West African nation’s decades of experience in exploration and production.
This was revealed at the Fifth session of the Namibia-Nigeria Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation in Windhoek, where Penda Naanda, Executive Director in the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, emphasized Namibia’s commitment to enhancing collaboration in key economic sectors, including oil and gas.
Naanda highlighted that partnership between both nations could unlock investment opportunities and facilitate knowledge-sharing.
“We therefore look forward to expediting our cooperation in areas such as works, transport and marine cooperation; trade, finance, investments and SMEs development, mines, and renewable energies, as well as oil and gas,” Naanda said.
On his part, Nigerian representatives at the Commission also stressed the importance of collaborating with Namibia to drive mutual investment and economic growth in the energy and mining sectors.
“Our engagement will extend to key sectors such as solid minerals exploration and energy, where we envision joint ventures in oil exploration in Walvis Bay and uranium mining, as well as trade facilitation in salt, meat, cement production, textiles, and garments,” Ambassador Akinremi Alade Bolaj, Nigerian Co-Chair of the Commission, said.
Namibia has recorded many significant offshore discoveries in recent years, and now needs Nigeria’s cooperation with exploration activities in the Walvis Bay.
The country, which expects its first commercial oil production by 2030, already boasts major oil players like French TotalEnergies, Portuguese Galp, and British Shell, which all have made substantial finds.
Recently, TotalEnergies’ CEO Patrick Pouyanne revealed the company’s plans to make a final investment decision (FID) on its offshore discovery in Namibia next year.
Despite recent exploration challenges, the Orange Basin has been the focal point of new discoveries, while other areas like the Lüderitz, Kavango, and Walvis basins have shown signs of potential reserves. ISF Trading Enterprise plans to build a 300,000 barrels per stream day (BPSD) modular oil refinery at the Walvis Bay.
Earlier this week, ReconAfrica found indications of oil Namibia’s Naingopo onshore exploration well and will look to accelerate drilling in the region.
As Namibia emerges as a promising player in Africa’s energy landscape following recent offshore oil discoveries, the Southern African country is keen to learn from Nigeria’s extensive industry knowledge, regulatory frameworks, and local content development strategies.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, has a well-established petroleum industry dating back to the early 1950s with a mix of multinational and indigenous firms operating in both upstream and downstream sectors.
Industry analysts suggest that collaboration between the two nations could drive knowledge-sharing, capacity building, and strategic investments, positioning Namibia as a key player in Africa’s energy future.
With global interest growing in Namibia’s rich offshore hydrocarbon potential, partnerships with experienced oil-producing nations like Nigeria could help the country avoid pitfalls, maximize resource benefits, and build a resilient energy sector.
