Towards Establishing an Oil and Gas Hub in Namibia by Hon. Tom Alweendo, скачать в хорошем качестве

Towards Establishing an Oil and Gas Hub in Namibia by Hon. Tom Alweendo,

Hon. Tom Alweendo, as the former Minister of Mines and Energy, has articulated a vision for Namibia to become a preeminent energy hub in Africa. His strategy focuses on transforming recent world-class oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin into sustainable economic growth while avoiding the "resource curse" through strict fiscal discipline. Strategic Pillars for an Energy Hub To transition from a frontier explorer to a regional hub, Alweendo has emphasised several critical areas: • Fiscal Discipline & Governance: He cautions against "rushing into big spending" before oil revenues flow. He advocates for strengthening revenue governance through Namibia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and maintaining stable tax rules to remain competitive. • Infrastructure & Local Content: A central goal is to develop robust infrastructure and human capabilities. This includes mandatory local content plans from oil companies to ensure jobs and leadership roles are filled by Namibians. • Energy Diversification: The hub vision integrates oil and gas with Green Hydrogen and renewables. Alweendo views Namibia as a future net-zero economy where renewable production could eventually eclipse fossil fuels. • Technological Advancement: He advocates for the adoption of AI, automation, and data analytics across the energy value chain to optimise production and minimise environmental impacts. Recent Developments (2025–2026) • Leadership Transition: As of early 2026, the Ministry is led by Hon. Modestus Amutse. Alweendo remains a prominent advisor and speaker, continuing to represent Namibia’s energy interests at forums like African Energy Week (AEW) 2025. • Legislative Reform: The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, 2025, was recently tabled to modernise regulation and establish a new Upstream Petroleum Unit (UPU) within the Office of the President. • Timeline to First Oil: Current projections target a Final Investment Decision (FID) for the Venus project by late 2026, with first oil expected by 2029. • Market Activity: In February 2026, major international players continued to expand their footprint, including Petrobras acquiring a stake in offshore blocks and TotalEnergies expanding its exploration portfolio.