NEW YORK – President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah does not see investments in oil and gas and green hydrogen as competing but complementary. She said with a proper energy mix, Namibians can benefit greatly from its resources.
She was talking at Unstoppable Africa 2026 in New York on Sunday, where she was joined by Veronica Bolton Smith, founder and CEO of Critical Minerals Africa Group, for a one-on-one fireside conversation under the overarching theme, ‘Powering Business, Scaling Economies, Shaping the Future.’ Held under the energy theme, ‘Power Shift: Who Will Be Africa’s Next Energy Giants?’, the conversation explored Namibia’s energy future, industrialisation, critical minerals, oil and gas, green hydrogen and skills development.
She said green hydrogen, oil and gas and other sources should complement each other as Namibia works to meet its development needs.
“It’s not a question of a choice between green hydrogen and oil and gas, but rather a mix for them to complement one another,” she said.
She added that Namibia is still at an early stage of development and, as a mineral-based economy seeking industrialisation, requires more energy.
“We are a country which is mineral-based, we are setting ourselves for industrialisation. And for this to happen, we need energy,” she said.
She said the energy shortage is not limited to Namibia but affects Southern Africa and the wider African continent.
“The energy gap is not only in Namibia; it is in Southern Africa, it is in Africa,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She added: “We are not giving priority to any, but we want all of them to work in parallel in order to contribute significantly to where we want to take our development.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah further said Namibia remains committed to reducing emissions but cautioned that the global energy transition must consider the needs of developing countries.
“It’s true, we believe in reducing emissions as a country. We have our own national target. But it’s also true that the energy transition should not happen at the expense of the developing countries,” she said.
She said Namibia therefore welcomes green hydrogen projects, including the Hyphen project, as part of its broader energy mix. “When we talk about the banks or how we can fund our development or project, we have to look in a manner that we are able to hold or to stand such a development,” she said.
She said Namibia would continue to support projects that can contribute to its development while ensuring that they operate within the country’s legal and national framework.
At the same engagement, Nandi-Ndaitwah added that investors planning on investing in Namibia must do so while respecting the country’s laws, which are intended to protect the country’s interests.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia would not support development programmes that do not align with laws agreed and adopted by the country.
“One thing we must avoid in Namibia, and I believe all other countries do so, is to do something that is not talking to your own laws. The laws which are agreed and developed in the country are meant to serve the country,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
“And even any programmes that are coming in, we have to avoid that,” she said.
Her comments came in response to a question on Namibia’s approach to export restrictions on natural resources and concerns that such measures could discourage investors.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the country must ensure that the way it finances and implements development projects allows Namibia to sustain its development objectives.
“When we talk about the banks or how we can fund our development or project, we have to look in a manner that we are able to hold or to stand such a development,” she said.
The President’s remarks come as Namibia seeks to attract investment into its mineral, energy and industrial sectors while increasing the value derived from its natural resources. The government has said it wants investment to support industrialisation, value addition and employment creation.
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