Emerging as one of Africa’s most exciting frontier oil markets, Namibia has witnessed a surge in offshore investments in recent years following a string of major discoveries made by international oil companies. TotalEnergies is eyeing a final investment decision for the Venus field in 2026, with a field development plan expected to be submitted by the major this month. Galp confirmed a significant oil find at the Mopane-3X well in February 2025 and is currently engaged in talks with potential partners to advance the development of its offshore discoveries. In the Walvis basin, Chevron is preparing to drill a new exploration well. With these projects, Namibia is expected to join the fray of African oil producers, creating significant opportunities for cross-border collaboration and trade.  

Amid this growth, Namibia has committed to strengthening ties with Angola in recent months, specifically in the fields of oil and gas, infrastructure and logistics. A meeting held between Namibian President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Angolan President João Lourenço in May 2025 – the first external working visit by the Namibian President since her inauguration in March 2025 – highlighted priority areas for collaboration. During the visit, President Lourenço committed to supporting Namibia as it advances offshore oil development in the Orange Basin, leveraging historic ties to boost skills development and training in the industry. The visit follows the signing of a tripartite agreement in 2024 between the Namibian ports Authority and the respective national oil companies of Angola and Namibia – Sonangol and NAMCOR. The agreement outlines plans to establish an integrated logistics base in Namibia to support future oil and gas development and trade. 

Looking ahead, strengthened cooperation between the nations is expected to unlock more than just trade opportunities. Notably, potential collaborations exist in onshore exploration and production, particularly across the Damara Fold Belt and Rift basin exploration plays – situated along the border of Namibia and Angola. Angola’s upstream regulator the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency signed an MoU with exploration and production company ReconAfrica in April 2025 for the join exploration of the Etosha-Okavango basin. The agreement signals ReconAfrica’s entry into Angola, adding 5.2 million acres of Angolan acreage to the company’s 6.3-million-acre Namibian portfolio. Currently, ReconAfrica is preparing to drill Prospect 1 – dubbed the Kavango West 1X well – in Namibia, following positive results from the Naingopo well in January 2025. Future discoveries in both Namibia and Angola could unlock cross-border development opportunities, underscoring the role of bilateral cooperation.

During AOG 2025, Minister Ithete is expected to share further insight into the value cross-border collaborations play in southern Africa’s oil and gas sector. Minister Ithete’s participation reflects a broader commitment by the Namibian government to working closely with Angola to advance oil and gas development, creating new opportunities for regional investments, trade and business.