Opposition Raises Concerns Over Namibia's Proposed Oil and Gas Legislation

Namibian opposition parties have voiced concerns regarding proposed amendments to the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, which aim to transfer regulatory authority over the oil and gas sector from the Ministry of Mines and Energy to the Office of the President. Critics argue that such centralization could lead to governance issues and potential corruption.

Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani highlighted the risks associated with consolidating power under a single individual, referencing past incidents in other sectors. He stated, "We need to carefully consider what amendments we are doing because this is a resource that has the potential to create criminals and superheroes in terms of how it is applied."

Affirmative Repositioning chief whip Tuhafeni Hangula echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for thorough deliberation. He remarked, "Oil has been in the ground for millions of years and it is not going anywhere. There is no need for us to be bulldozed into making amendments even though there is already an existing act."

In response, acting Minister of Mines and Energy Frans Kapofi assured that due process would be followed, urging members to treat the bill as urgent. He stated, "We are not bulldozing anyone, we're simply appealing to everyone to treat this as urgent due to the changes introduced constitutionally by the president, and to fully enforce we brought this instrument to you."

The National Assembly has postponed further discussion of the bill until after the recess, with debates set to resume on 3 February 2026.