Oil, gas sector boosts opportunities for small businesses

The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) says the oil and gas sector will create opportunities for local micro, small and medium enterprises.

This was said at the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, which kicked off in Windhoek yesterday.

The conference is hosted by the Economic Association of Namibia in partnership with the NIPDB and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSS), with the strategic partnership of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor).

NIPDB spokesperson Catherine Shipushu said as the industry expands, there will be a growing demand for various products and services.

“As a host partner for the second year running, NIPDB was keen to showcase its role in facilitating foreign and local investments in the booming oil and gas sector,” she said.

Shipushu said the board aims to empower local businesses to capitalise on these opportunities.

The board’s masterclass on ‘Doing Business in Namibia: Opportunities in the Upstream Value Chain’ touched on various ways in which local Namibians can be taught and guided on starting up and growing their businesses.

Shipushu said the NIPDB’s goal is to create a conducive environment for both foreign and domestic investors.

“By providing clear information and effective support, we hope to attract more businesses to Namibia and contribute to the country’s economic growth,” she said.

The three-day event will host local and foreign delegates.

“We want to ensure that potential investors have a seamless experience when setting up businesses in Namibia,” she said.

Sabios Innovation Africa co-chief executive, Demetrius Lima, said the goal is to transform Sabios to be more efficient as the company has more opportunities and big natural resources it can explore in Namibia.

Lima said their main aim is to create partnerships.

“We don’t want to go solo, because going solo, you go nowhere,” he said.

He said they would like to create partnerships with local companies.

“That’s why we even have local directors appointed,” he said.

Although they are a Brazilian company, Lima said the company considers itself a Namibian company.

CT Hydraulics support manager Emile van Heerden said although the company is small, its focus is on ensuring its business is present and the public is more aware of its existence.

“I think for any Namibian company or local company to be present at an oil and gas conference will put them in a position where developments in the future will be advantageous,” he said.

Okeshi Owhor, the business development officer of Engineering Services Company in Nigeria, said the Namibian oil and gas industry is gradually developing and growing.

“We would like to be part of that growth,” she said.

Owhor said the company is focused on learning from Namibia’s local context in terms of technical development.

She said the conference is a way to learn from the experts and build long-lasting connections.

“We’re hoping to establish partnerships with local businesses or even the Namibian government,” Owhor said.

Graduate associate for the Hanns Seidel Foundation Dahlia Nantinda said the conference is a great opportunity to learn from other industries in the oil and gas sector.