business๐ณ๐ฆ Namibia
Namibia's gas: balancing national development with infrastructure decisions
Namibia aims to leverage its natural gas resources to foster local businesses, infrastructure, and broader industrial growth, moving beyond mere export revenues. Vice President Lucia Witbooi, speaking on behalf of the president, emphasized that petroleum should create jobs, develop skills, and build national value. Kornelia Shilunga, special adviser and head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Presidency, detailed that this ambition requires meaningful opportunities for Namibians, with local content going beyond mere participation. She highlighted Walvis Bay and Lรผderitz as potential service and logistics hubs, stressing the need for ports, roads, and other infrastructure to keep pace with upstream development. The key challenge lies in deciding where gas will go, how it will get there, and who can use the infrastructure. While a domestic market obligation and pricing policy can reserve gas for Namibia and determine affordability, physical infrastructure like pipelines, processing facilities, and storage are essential. The article warns against allowing individual petroleum projects to dictate the entire gas infrastructure, as this could limit future industrial development. It advocates for common infrastructure that can serve multiple industries, including natural gas, hydrogen, renewable energy, and mining, to create a more durable market for Namibian firms. Infrastructure ownership is also crucial, potentially offering investment opportunities for Namibian pension funds