By Sostenus Wilherm
Namibian local company V-Oil and Energy is positioning itself as a key player in the country’s emerging oil and gas sector, with a strong focus on providing core services from exploration to production.
The company’s director and business strategist Domingos Freitas told Confidente that Namibia’s journey toward first oil represents a historic and transformative moment not only for the country but for the continent at large.
“Namibia is moving towards the first oil and everybody is excited about this new milestone because it’s going to have a very significant impact on the economy, in the market, but also overall for the continent,” Freitas said.
He explained that reaching first oil is a process that requires careful planning and execution across several stages.
“To get to first oil, there are a few steps that countries need to go through, first is really to have good people that do this exploration of oil.
Then after that is having the wells drilled with the right equipment. Then third, having the infrastructure to be able to extract those wells and then you go to the first oil,” he noted.
According to him, V-Oil and Energy has strategically aligned its operations to contribute across these critical phases. The company’s integrated approach, spanning exploration, drilling support and production readiness, places it at the centre of Namibia’s oil and gas value chain.
A key pillar of the company’s contribution is human capital development. Freitas revealed that the firm has already invested in building local expertise through training initiatives.
“At Victory (V-Oil and Energy), we are part of these sequences in a sense that first, in terms of developing good people, we have set up the Victory Institute here in Windhoek,” he said.
He added that the institute is working closely with local institutions to prepare Namibians for opportunities within the sector.
“That institute is training a number of students in partnership with some local institutions whereby those new graduates will be able to be part of this mandate, part of this oil.”
Beyond skills development, the company is also contributing to the technical requirements needed to achieve first oil. “Secondly, we also provide equipment — equipment that goes into the wells to be able to drill for those wells to be able to produce that first oil,” he said.
Freitas stressed that shaping the national and international narrative around Namibia’s oil readiness is equally important. “We are here using those platforms and everywhere possible really to shape the narrative in terms of the first oil and showing that Namibia is ready for that step.”
He noted that while excitement continues to grow, there is also a need to ensure that citizens understand the process involved. “There is a lot of excitement right now about this first oil but also ensuring that the people in the country understand what the milestones are to get to that first oil,” he added.
The company’s participation in platforms such as the Namibia International Energy Conference also reflects its commitment to collaboration and industry growth. Freitas said such engagements are crucial for building partnerships and aligning stakeholders.
“The three outcomes really expected is one in terms of partnership with suppliers and international companies, ensuring that this is a venue whereby all the players are together, meet and then these players then will be able to construct meaningful partnership that will help the industry move ahead.”
