By Stefanus Nashama
FNB Namibia and RMB Namibia have moved to position Namibian businesses and individuals for the country’s emerging oil and gas economy with the launch of an educational series, Beyond the Barrel.
The initiative comes as Namibia’s offshore oil discoveries continue to attract global investors and raise expectations of a new economic frontier that could reshape the country’s business landscape.
FNB and RMB say the country’s energy boom must not be viewed only through the lens of offshore drilling, arguing that the real economic opportunities extend across infrastructure, logistics, skills development, financial services and other sectors linked to the oil and gas value chain.
FNB Namibia head of group communications, Kirsty Watermeyer, announced the launch recently.
Group Head of Oil and Gas Strategy at FNB and RMB Namibia, Angelique Peake, said Namibia’s energy story could have far-reaching implications for the wider economy.
“It has the potential to influence businesses, infrastructure, skills development, logistics and broader economic participation.
Through Beyond the Barrel, we want to make these conversations easier to understand and help more Namibians engage meaningfully with this important chapter in our country’s development,” Peake said.
She said the series would examine Namibia’s energy landscape, from the fundamentals of offshore oil and gas exploration to opportunities emerging across the broader value chain.Industry experts from FNB Namibia and RMB Namibia will contribute to the series, including Olavi Hangula, RMB Namibia’s Oil, Gas and Energy Sector relationship manager; Carly van der Merwe, FNB Namibia’s growth and energy sector strategist; and Naftal Akweenda, FNB Namibia’s Oil, Gas and Energy Sector relationship manager.
Peake said the objective was not merely to explain the technical aspects of the industry, but to encourage informed debate about how Namibians can secure a meaningful stake in the economic opportunities expected to flow from the sector.
“Our aim is not simply to explain the energy industry, but to encourage informed conversations about how Namibia can maximise the opportunities emerging from it. Understanding the industry is an important first step towards identifying where businesses and individuals can participate,” she said.
Namibia’s oil and gas discoveries have triggered growing interest from international energy companies and investors, but questions remain over how much of the anticipated economic windfall will reach local businesses and communities.
The debate has increasingly shifted from the size of Namibia’s offshore discoveries to who will benefit from the billions expected to flow through the sector.
For local businesses, the challenge will be to build the skills, capacity and financial muscle required to compete for opportunities that could otherwise be dominated by established international companies.
The Beyond the Barrel series seeks to place those conversations at the centre of the country’s unfolding energy story. The introductory episode is now available on FNB Namibia’s YouTube channel and LinkedIn page.
