Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Natangwe Iithete, delivered a powerful message of both immense opportunity and stark warning at the opening of the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference 2025 today. While unveiling the scale of recent offshore discoveries – estimated at a staggering 11 billion barrels of oil and 2.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas – Iithete anchored his vision for the future in a resolute commitment to avoid the dreaded “resource curse.”
Addressing a packed hall at the Mercure Hotel, including President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, diplomats, industry leaders, and investors, Iithete declared the discoveries a “generational opportunity” to reshape Namibia’s and Southern Africa’s economic destiny. However, he immediately tempered the excitement with a sobering cautionary note drawn from global history.
“I am calling on unity of purpose because we have seen it before,” Iithete stated emphatically. “Nations rich in oil and gas that become poorer in spirit, divided in society, and became victims of their own resources.” He explicitly named the threat: “The ‘resource curse’ destroys economies, collapse institutions, harm environment and leaves the people, the rightful owners of the resource worse off than before. Namibia will not follow that path. We refuse to become another cautionary tale.”
The Minister framed the theme of the conference, “From Exploration to Action: Positioning Namibia as the Next Energy Frontier,” within a broader Southern African context, urging regional unity reminiscent of the liberation struggle, this time for economic emancipation. He cited President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s early regional visits as evidence of this necessary collaborative spirit.
Iithete outlined a clear government pledge to ensure the resources benefit all Namibians and safeguard the nation’s future. He stressed that every barrel and cubic foot must translate into jobs, infrastructure, and opportunities. He vowed that revenues, potentially reaching N$7.7 billion annually in government income, would not be squandered but instead used to build schools, power homes, and seed a renewable energy future. Local content, he insisted, would be the “heartbeat” of the new industry.
The Minister directly addressed investors, welcoming them but setting firm conditions: partnerships must protect Namibia’s environment, respect its communities, and share benefits fairly. To Namibians, he declared, “This is your oil, your gas, your future—rise, prepare, and take your place in this new frontier.” He called on fellow leaders to govern with “foresight and integrity,” reminding them that “oil money can vanish in a decade, but nation-building lasts forever.”
Issuing a rallying cry to officials, Iithete declared “failure is not an option,” emphasizing the singular chance to ensure the resources fuel prosperity “long after the wells run dry.” He warned that history would judge harshly any mismanagement.
Concluding with a call for disciplined, unified action, Iithete expressed an “unshakable belief that Namibia and Africa’s best days are ahead,” provided the nation successfully navigates the pitfalls of the resource curse and translates its underground wealth into sustainable, shared prosperity.