Works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi has issued a firm directive regarding the awarding of contracts to locals, emphasising the importance of transparency, national interest and local participation in public contracts and operations. While accompanying prime minister Elijah Ngurare during a courtesy call at the Namibian Ports Authority on Monday at Walvis Bay, Nekundi reinforced the government’s stance on prioritising national interests, stating that he would no longer tolerate the exclusion of Namibians in the awarding of public contracts for projects. “There must be transparency and local participation in all public contracts and operations under my ministry, including Namport,” he stated. Nekundi referenced Articles 40 and 41 of the Namibian Constitution, underlining his accountability to the people of Namibia for the conduct of ministries and state-owned enterprises under his portfolio. “There is a tendency in Namibia that people believe politicians must not speak on affairs of prime institutions, but the Constitution is clear, I may not interfere, but I will intervene in the national interest,” he expressed. He made it clear that, while respecting the autonomy of institutions, he would not hesitate to give direction where national interests are at stake. He also stressed that he would not favour management simply for the sake of internal alignment, especially in instances where public contracts excluded Namibians. “These things of issuing hundreds of millions [in contracts] and money flowing outside the country cannot continue. Local participation is paramount,” he said. Nekundi noted that if a project involves 10 subcontractors, at least one-third must be Namibian. Similarly, a third of employees on any given project must be from the region in which the project is being implemented. “This is not negotiable, it is a directive and it must be followed.” Nekundi also expressed strong disapproval of the use of bureaucratic language such as “work in progress” or “in the pipeline”, stating that such terms are ambiguous and non-committal. He relayed president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s instruction to abandon such phrasing in favour of actionable delivery timelines. “The president gave us three months to deliver. No more ‘pipeline’ projects. Deliverables must have a beginning and an end.” The post Exclusion of Namibians from awarding of public contracts will not be tolerated – Nekundi appeared first on The Namibian.

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[Namibian] Works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi has issued a firm directive regarding the awarding of contracts to locals, emphasising the importance of transparency, national interest and local participation in public contracts and operations.

Namibia moves to boost local participation in mining  Peoples Gazette Nigeria

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Justicia Shipena  In the next five years, the government plans to increase carried participation from 10% to 15%. This goal is outlined in the recently launched sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which sets 2030 as the deadline. The goal is to empower citizens and local corporations to actively participate in the petroleum sector.  The plan also includes goals to produce 150 million barrels of oil equivalent, increase gas production to 130 million standard cubic feet per day, and create 22,800 jobs by 2030.  Recent reports show that Namibia collected N$5.96 billion ($309 million) in royalties from mining activities over the last three years. At the Youth in Oil and Gas Summit over the weekend, Kornelia Shilunga, special presidential advisor and head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit, pointed out that the current laws governing the sector are outdated. She explained that the regulations were designed when the sector’s potential was unclear, and now Namibia needs modern policies to support the industry’s growth.  The government has started preparing for the development of a Namibia Oil and Gas Logistics Supply Base, led by Namport’s N$4 billion expansion of the Lüderitz port. Shilunga also announced that the Upstream Petroleum Unit is reviewing the existing regulatory framework to propose updated policies for better governance. “The sector offers opportunities across the full industry spectrum, from upstream exploration to downstream trading and refining,” she said. She urged industry stakeholders to invest in local capacity building and emphasised that this is a crucial time to ensure the industry’s benefits are felt across the entire economy. Shilunga stressed the importance of youth involvement in the oil and gas sector. “The youth are not only the future of this industry, but they are also its present momentum.” Namibia’s first oil discoveries in the Orange Basin in 2022 have resulted in an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil and 2.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves. By 2024, 28 offshore oil and gas exploration wells and 15 appraisal wells had been drilled, along with 10 exploratory wells onshore. Shilunga emphasised that Namibia’s growing energy sector must focus on environmental protection and social accountability. She challenged the industry, academia, and the government to collaborate on accelerating youth-focused reforms and policies. “I challenge industry players to invest in capacity building. I challenge academia to align curricula with current and future energy needs. And I challenge the government to accelerate youth-focused reforms and policies,” she said. At the same event, Erongo governor Natalia |Goagoses called for greater youth inclusion in the sector. She stressed the need for investment in vocational training, mentorship, and hands-on experience to equip young people with the skills to succeed. “Local content must include youth content,” she said, urging stronger regulations that ensure exploration and production activities involve measurable commitments to youth employment, training, and enterprise development. In 2022, the Cabinet approved a National Upstream Local Content Policy to boost local oil and gas sector participation.  |Goagoses expressed support for reviewing the Petroleum Act and related legislation to reflect the national priority of youth empowerment. Justina Erastus, founder of the Youth in Oil and Gas Summit, encouraged young people to seize the opportunities in Namibia’s oil and gas sector. “I see a future where Namibia is 100% electrified thanks to our own oil and gas resources,” Erastus said.  She envisions Namibia becoming a leading oil producer, fueling industrial growth and regional integration. “Oil and gas is a long interconnected value chain that calls for logistics experts, caterers, waste managers, asset custodians, communicators, and creatives,” Erastus added. Erastus emphasised the importance of creating a prosperous and safe future for Namibia and its future generations.  At the same time, YIOGS announced a strategic partnership with the Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund) for the third edition of the summit in July 2026.  The chief executive officer of Petrofund, Nillian Mulemi, highlighted the need for collaboration across government, industry, and education to ensure that Namibia’s oil and gas development leads to meaningful economic growth.  “As the country enters a new energy era, partnerships will be essential to ensure the benefits of oil and gas development are fully realised,” Mulemi said. The summit took place under the theme “Drilling into the Future: Empowering Youth in Namibia’s Oil & Gas Revolution,” in Walvis Bay.  The summit brought together over 400 delegates, including university students, high school learners, industry professionals, government officials, local service providers, and both local and international guests.

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Mandatory local participation in mining ventures on the cards NBC Online Mon, 07/21/2025 - 19:49

Niël Terblanché The Namibia Youth Energy Forum (NYEF) has taken a determined step toward increasing youth involvement in the country’s energy sector by engaging with the Presidency. On Monday, NYEF met with senior advisors at the State House. The meeting followed an invitation from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and was hosted by the Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Presidency. NYEF representatives met with Cornelia Shilunga, special advisor and head of the unit, along with deputy head Carlo Lord Muhamed McLeodas and technical assistant Joseph Amakali. The NYEF delegation included Advisory Board Chairperson Miguel Hamutenya, Vice-Chairperson Gisela Sebastiao, Advisory Board Member Olavi Hangula, Managing Director Andreas Paulus, and Project Manager Namwenyo Mhata. Paulus said the meeting aimed to formally introduce NYEF to the Office of the President and to promote youth-centred energy policies.  It also focused on collaboration in areas such as local content development, policy formulation, and transformation across the energy sector. “This meeting strengthens our collective voice and capabilities as we continue to champion youth empowerment in shaping Namibia’s energy future. It is a powerful signal that the presidency recognises the role of youth in driving national progress,” he said. NYEF sees the meeting as important as it prepares to host its national event, the Namibia Energy Connect & Energy Trailblazer Awards 2025. Set for the first week of November in Windhoek, the two-day event is expected to draw more than 500 delegates. Participants will include local and international energy leaders, young innovators, and policy stakeholders. NYEF described the event as a movement focused on placing Namibian youth and communities at the centre of the country’s energy agenda.  It will promote dialogue, partnerships, and recognition of achievement across energy value chains, including oil and gas, green hydrogen, and renewables. Under the theme “Local participation at the forefront!”, NYEF aims to create a space for real engagement and opportunity.  The forum sees itself as a link between emerging talent and the energy sector’s key priorities. Founded by Namibian youth, NYEF has grown into a leading platform for young people in the energy field.  It focuses on inclusion and empowerment in a space often shaped by established companies and international players. The meeting at the State House adds momentum to calls for more inclusive policies in the country’s energy future.  NYEF wants to ensure that Namibia’s energy transition supports both innovation and generational fairness by involving young people in top-level decision-making.

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Namibia Moves To Boost Local Participation In Mining Sector  Voice of Nigeria

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