By: Mathias Hangala
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Namibia stands to benefit from Qatar’s extensive experience in the oil and gas sector as the country prepares for a new era of petroleum development.
She made the remarks last week during a courtesy visit by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and chief executive officer of QatarEnergy.
Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed bilateral relations between Namibia and Qatar, expressing appreciation for Qatar’s ongoing support in capacity building, its continued contributions to the PetroFund, and its expanding investment footprint in Namibia’s oil and gas sector.
For his part, Al-Kaabi reiterated Qatar’s commitment to deepening investment in Namibia, particularly through global energy giants such as Shell and TotalEnergies.
Before the emergence of its petroleum sector, Qatar was in a different state where oil exploration began in 1939, and by 1973, production and revenues had grown dramatically, transforming the country from one of the world’s poorest into one of the highest per-capita incomes.
Today, petroleum and natural gas remain the cornerstones of Qatar’s economy, accounting for more than 70% of government revenue, over 60% of GDP, and around 85% of export earnings. Qatar holds the world’s third-largest natural gas reserves and is the third-largest global exporter of natural gas.
Qatar’s economic success has been shaped by a unique development model that uses revenues from hydrocarbons to drive modernisation and diversification.
Guided by the Qatar National Vision 2030, the country has sought to reduce reliance on natural resources while promoting sustainability, human development, and private sector growth.
Significant investments in infrastructure, sovereign wealth funds, and state-led development projects have supported this diversification strategy, helping Qatar build a resilient, innovation-driven, and globally competitive economy.
Meanwhile, according to Namibia Today, oil exploration in Namibia began in 1974 with the discovery of the Kudu Gas Field – an early indication of the petroleum potential in the country’s offshore basins. While Kudu remains undeveloped, the discovery prompted the Ministry of Mines and Energy to intensify geological mapping and invest in advanced seismic surveys.
The publication notes that Namibia’s ability to attract major international oil companies did not happen by chance.
The government implemented an open licensing system to provide flexibility for exploration firms, coupled with a stable and transparent regulatory framework that offers legal certainty while safeguarding long-term national interests.
For the past 2 years, most of Namibia’s foreign direct investment has been related to oil and gas exploration.
