Namibia National Olympic Committee seeks oil and gas sector partnership for LA 2028 and national sports development

NNOC president Nedulipulwa Hamutumwa presented a speech at the fourth Namibia Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, highlighting Namibia's new economic era due to oil and gas discoveries. He emphasized that the country's success should be measured not only in revenue but also in transformed Namibian lives, especially given the high unemployment rates, including 44% youth unemployment nationally. Hamutumwa argued that sport, often underfunded, intersects with education, health, employment, and national identity, aligning with Namibia’s sixth National Development Plan NDP6 which aims to increase sport's contribution to employment from 1% to 3.5% by 2030.

He noted that physical inactivity contributes to preventable non-communicable diseases and significant healthcare costs. Hamutumwa cited Namibia's Olympic history, including five medals in athletics, and 27 Commonwealth Games medals, to demonstrate the nation's talent. He stated that the challenge lies in systems, pathways, and sustained investment, rather than talent itself.

He called for a shift from local content to local capability and human capital, urging corporate Namibia and the emerging oil and gas industry to move from sponsorship to long-term partnership and investment. This vision includes the proposed NNOC Foundat