The 4th Namibia Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition (NOGC) 2026 concluded in Windhoek with a focus on ensuring the country’s petroleum resources generate jobs, skills, business opportunities, investment and long-term national value.

Held under the theme “From Decision to Dividend: Making Namibia’s Oil Work for Namibians,” the three-day event attracted more than 1,500 delegates, 120 speakers and 70 exhibitors. Discussions centred on Namibia’s transition from exploration to development, with local content, enterprise participation, skills, infrastructure, financing and investment identified as priorities.

Speaking on behalf of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Vice President Lucia Witbooi said resource discoveries would only become a national success if they produced tangible benefits.

“Discovery is not the destination. A resource beneath our waters becomes a national success only when it is responsibly developed and translated into tangible improvements in the lives of our people. It must become employment for Namibians, opportunities for our enterprises, skills for our young people, technology for our institutions, infrastructure for our economy, revenues for national development, and savings for future generations. This is why the theme of this conference is particularly appropriate,” she noted.

Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse stressed the need to prepare Namibia for offshore production and expand local participation across the petroleum value chain.

“Our strategic plan for 2026 to 2030 carries one organising idea, which is to move this country from exploration to readiness, so that Namibia is ready onshore when production begins offshore. Namibia expects Namibian employment to be maximised, Namibian suppliers prioritised, skills and technology transferred, and meaningful Namibian participation, ownership and financing across the value chain. Fiscal certainty is a stable and transparent framework for petroleum revenues. Namibia does not move the goalposts. To our international partners: local content, properly done, is not a tax on your investment. An industry surrounded by capable Namibian suppliers, skilled Namibian workers and invested Namibian communities is an industry with social licence, political stability and a future measured in generations. That is what the policy builds, and my ministry will implement it with you, not against you. I am happy to state that our local banks have informed me that they are ready to receive bankable proposals from the oil and gas sector for their consideration,” he noted.

Jason Kasuto, Chairperson of the Economic Association of Namibia, said: “Oil is not the point; oil is actually the how. Our people are the why.”

The conference also included a Local Content Masterclass, entrepreneur pitching sessions and supplier workshops aimed at helping domestic businesses meet international industry standards.

NOGC 2026 closed with calls for stronger collaboration between government, industry, investors and local businesses as Namibia moves towards petroleum development and seeks to convert its resources into sustainable national prosperity. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service