Namibia is\u00a0about to enter\u00a0a transformative phase in its national development, driven by\u00a0potentially material\u00a0hydrocarbon discoveries in the Orange Basin. Once considered a frontier region, the basin\u00a0has\u00a0emerged\u00a0as one of Africa\u2019s most promising petroleum provinces, thanks to exploration successes by Shell, TotalEnergies, Galp\u00a0and Rhino Resources.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
These discoveries have shifted the national conversation from speculation towards\u00a0strategy\u00a0and planning. The question is no longer whether hydrocarbons will shape Namibia\u2019s future, but how to ensure that their development delivers sustainable,\u00a0equitable\u00a0and\u00a0holistic\u00a0growth for all Namibians. The country stands at the threshold of a new\u00a0chapter\u2014one\u00a0that offers the potential to uplift communities, strengthen institutions and redefine its economic trajectory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The challenge now is to foster an energy industry that is not only commercially successful but also socially responsible. Namibia must ensure the benefits of development are widely shared, and that the country\u2019s natural resources serve as a foundation for long-term prosperity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Learning from\u00a0global\u00a0examples<\/p>\n
Namibia\u2019s opportunity is not just geological\u2014it\u00a0is strategic and social. The nation has the chance to learn from the experiences of other resource-rich countries, both their successes and their missteps. Guyana, for example, has\u00a0emerged\u00a0as a compelling model for responsible resource management\u00a0in South America,\u00a0demonstrating\u00a0how a well-governed energy sector can drive national transformation. Namibia can follow a similar path, becoming a leading\u00a0light\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0African continent\u00a0and\u00a0showing the way to responsibly\u00a0harness energy wealth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n The challenge now is to foster an energy industry that is not only commercially successful but also socially responsible
\n<\/p>\n
In addition,\u00a0Namibia enjoys the rare advantage of a\u00a0clean sheet\u2014an\u00a0opportunity to build a\u00a0robust\u00a0energy industry from the ground up. This\u00a0fresh\u00a0start allows the country to design\u00a0investor-friendly\u00a0policies,\u00a0strategic\u00a0partnerships and\u00a0best-in-class\u00a0practices that reflect\u00a0the\u00a0modern\u00a0world and\u00a0the\u00a0future of the energy industry. It also enables Namibia to avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other nations, such as environmental degradation,\u00a0inequality\u00a0and corruption.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Namibia\u00a0taking a\u00a0pragmatic and\u00a0proactive\u00a0approach<\/p>\n
The Namibian government has responded to this opportunity with commendable pragmatism.\u00a0Namibia\u2019s\u00a0transparent and stable political environment has laid\u00a0a strong foundation\u00a0for the emerging energy sector. This clarity and consistency are essential\u00a0pillars\u00a0for attracting the substantial investments that will be\u00a0required\u00a0to move from exploration to\u00a0production. Multibillion-dollar projects demand confidence in governance, and Namibia\u00a0is\u00a0showing\u00a0that it understands the importance of creating a de-risked\u00a0commercial\u00a0environment for investors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The government\u2019s proactive engagement with industry stakeholders reflects\u00a0the hallmarks of\u00a0a collaborative spirit that will be vital\u00a0in achieving\u00a0long-term success. While geological potential is the starting point, economic viability\u00a0ultimately depends\u00a0on robust\u00a0\u2018above-ground\u2019\u00a0frameworks that support and sustain development. Namibia\u2019s approach\u00a0represents\u00a0a win-win scenario for both government and industry, where mutual trust and shared goals\u00a0will\u00a0drive progress.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From\u00a0discovery to\u00a0development<\/p>\n
Rhino Resources is proud to be part of this journey, operating deepwater PEL-85 in partnership with NAMCOR,\u00a0Azule\u00a0Energy\u00a0and\u00a0Korres\u00a0Investments. In 2025, this partnership\u00a0made\u00a0three significant discoveries: Sagittarius-1X, Capricornus-1X\u2014which\u00a0tested at 11,000b\/d\u2014and\u00a0Volans-1X. These discoveries underscore the geological\u00a0potential\u00a0of Namibia\u2019s offshore resources. They also reflect\u00a0the strength of collaboration between international\u00a0expertise\u00a0and national ambition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rhino\u2019s ambition is to\u00a0forge\u00a0a realistic and efficient pathway for the PEL-85\u00a0partner group\u00a0to reach\u00a0first\u00a0oil in Namibia\u00a0first, with a target of achieving this milestone by 2030. Such an achievement would mark a historic\u00a0moment\u00a0for the country, unlocking new avenues for economic growth and national development.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Successful translation from\u00a0the\u00a0exploration\u00a0to production\u00a0phase\u00a0will require\u00a0the development of an integrated industrial base, with strong backward and forward linkages to other\u00a0existing\u00a0sectors of the economy.\u00a0In this regard,\u00a0Namibia\u2019s\u00a0latent\u00a0strength lies in its\u00a0existing workforce\u00a0of heavy industry\u00a0(mining)\u00a0and offshore (fishing)\u00a0professionals. Through a pragmatic blend of regulation, partnership and on-the-job\u00a0training, the country is building local\u00a0capacity\u00a0that will support long-term industry growth.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ensuring\u00a0sustainable\u00a0development<\/p>\n
Sustainable\u00a0resource\u00a0development is at the heart of Rhino Resources\u2019 approach\u00a0to stewardship. The company is committed to balancing business imperatives with\u00a0good\u00a0corporate\u00a0citizenship, focusing not just on barrels and GDP, but on opportunity and shared prosperity. During\u00a0the\u00a0recent\u00a0Volans\u00a0drilling campaign,\u00a0more than\u00a060% of the operational workforce were Namibian nationals\u2014a\u00a0testament to the country\u2019s growing technical\u00a0capability.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n The potential of the Orange Basin is no longer theoretical\u2014it is real, tangible and transformative
\n<\/p>\n
Rhino has\u00a0also\u00a0partnered with Halliburton to\u00a0establish\u00a0the Rhino\u2013Halliburton Technology Centre at the University of Namibia\u2019s Southern Campus\u00a0in\u00a0Keetmanshoop. This initiative has already trained more than 100 students and professionals in petroleum operations, equipping them with the skills needed to\u00a0participate\u00a0in,\u00a0and\u00a0one day\u00a0lead,\u00a0the country\u2019s energy future. Across the broader industry, collaboration with local suppliers has resulted in\u00a0approximately\u00a080% of supply\u00a0chain spending being\u00a0retained\u00a0within Namibia\u2014amounting to\u00a0approximately N$3.8b\u00a0($221.7m).\u00a0<\/p>\n
These figures are indicative of a development model that prioritises local empowerment and economic resilience. Each Namibian trained or employed strengthens the country\u2019s ability to manage its own energy future. The focus on local participation ensures that the benefits of development are widely shared, creating a virtuous cycle of investment, capability-building and national\u00a0growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0defining\u00a0opportunity<\/p>\n
Namibia now stands at a defining moment in its history. The country\u00a0has the opportunity to\u00a0harness its newfound energy wealth not merely for economic gain but as a profound catalyst for national\u00a0and regional\u00a0transformation. The collaborative spirit between government and industry, exemplified by Rhino Resources and its partners, is shaping an energy future that is both prosperous and\u00a0equitable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By prioritising responsible development, fostering local capabilities\u00a0and ensuring broad-based participation, Namibia is not just building an oil and gas industry,\u00a0it\u00a0is crafting a model for sustainable growth that can inspire the\u00a0African\u00a0continent. This is indeed a new dawn for Namibia. The potential of the Orange Basin is no longer theoretical\u2014it\u00a0is real,\u00a0tangible\u00a0and transformative. The\u00a0time is\u00a0now to translate this potential into lasting opportunity, shared prosperity\u00a0and a legacy that\u00a0benefits\u00a0all Namibians.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Travis\u00a0Smithard is CEO of Rhino Resources. To read Outlook 2026\u00a0in full, click<\/a>\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Namibia is\u00a0about to enter\u00a0a transformative phase in its national development, driven by\u00a0potentially material\u00a0hydrocarbon discoveries in the Orange Basin.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20578,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[2264,102,5219,7992],"class_list":{"0":"post-20577","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-namibia","8":"tag-gas","9":"tag-namibia","10":"tag-oil","11":"tag-upstream"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20577"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20577\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}