Namibia to Create Over 3,600 Jobs Through Global Accelerator Project in 2025-# ISSUE39☕

Welcome to Our Friday Issue!

As we gear up for the long weekend, this edition brings you a mix of promise, progress, and purpose across Namibia’s economic and social landscape. Here’s what we’re tracking:

• Over 3,600 Jobs Incoming: Namibia to create thousands of opportunities through the 2025 Global Accelerator Project.

• Uranium on the Rise: Exports expected to surge by 22% to N$41.4 billion next year.

• Setback at Sea: TotalEnergies’ Marula-1X offshore well comes up dry.

• Ngurare on Inclusion: Prime Minister calls for women’s empowerment in the green hydrogen sector.

And as we hit the roads for some well-earned rest, let’s not forget road safety. Speed, alcohol, and fatigue continue to cost lives. Buckle up, drive smart, and arrive alive.

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BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Namibia to Create Over 3,600 Jobs Through Global Accelerator Project in 2025

Namibia is set to roll out the Global Accelerator project during the current financial year, aiming to generate more than 3,600 jobs primarily through the biomass sector and other sustainable industries. This initiative was announced by Minister of Justice and Labour, Fillemon Wise Immanuel, as part of the Ministry’s strategic focus on expanding labour market services and enhancing skills development.

“Our goal is to ensure that every Namibian, regardless of background, can access decent work, fair compensation, and safe working conditions, while fostering an environment where businesses can innovate and create jobs,” Immanuel said.

In 2023, Namibia was selected by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as a pathfinder country under the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, also serving as a pilot country to reduce workplace disparities.

Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare highlighted progress in youth training under the National Youth Service (NYS), with 630 recruits completing mandatory training phases. Of these, 345 received specialized training in charcoal and biomass production at the Henties Bay Training Centre and are set to be deployed to government farms focused on biomass production. Another 255 trainees are already producing biomass at the NYS Germsbok Farm near Rietfontein.

Namibia is currently the world’s fifth-largest exporter of charcoal, mainly used for barbeque and restaurant-grade products. Over the past three decades, charcoal production has expanded significantly, with the number of producers rising from about 350 in 2014 to over 1,300 today. Charcoal exports reached approximately 270,000 tonnes in 2023, earning the industry the nickname “the black diamond of Namibia.”

The Global Accelerator project aligns with Namibia’s broader goals to create sustainable employment, reduce poverty, and support just economic transitions through investments in green and sustainable sectors.

The Bottom Line

With the Global Accelerator, Namibia aims to harness its biomass potential and other sustainable industries to create thousands of jobs, empower youth, and drive inclusive economic growth in line with national development priorities.

Source: The Namibian

Namibia's Uranium Exports to Surge 22% to N$41.4 Billion in 2025

Namibia's uranium sector is poised for a major boost, with exports projected to surge 21.9% to N$41.4 billion in 2025, according to the Bank of Namibia (BoN). This increase is expected to significantly reduce the country's current account deficit from 15.3% of GDP in 2024 to 14.2% in 2025.

Driving Forces Behind the Uranium Boom

The surge in uranium exports is attributed to heightened global demand, driven by a renewed focus on nuclear energy and the expansion of nuclear reactor projects worldwide. Uranium mining is projected to grow by 7.5% in 2025, a substantial increase from the 1.8% growth recorded last year. The global demand for uranium is exceeding supply, driving prices upward, which is advantageous for Namibia, the world’s third-largest uranium producer.

Impact on the Economy

The Bank of Namibia has revised its growth forecasts upwards by 5.4 percentage points for 2024 and 8.1 percentage points for 2025, compared to projections made in December, reflecting the positive impact of the uranium sector. Overall, Namibia's economy is anticipated to grow by 3.8% in 2025 and 4% in 2026.

Diamond Sector Challenges

In contrast to uranium, Namibia's diamond mining sector is expected to contract further in 2025 and 2026, due to declining global demand for natural diamonds as consumers increasingly opt for lab-grown alternatives. The diamond mining sector is projected to decline by 6.2% in 2025 and 7.7% in 2026, following a 3.7% contraction in 2024.

Broader Economic Outlook

The overall mining sector is expected to recover, driven by increased exploration activities in oil and gas. A growth rate of 12% is projected for the mining sector in 2025 before moderating to 9.6% in 2026.

The Bottom Line

Namibia's economy is experiencing a divergence in its key mining sectors. While uranium exports are set to surge, fueled by global demand for nuclear energy, the diamond sector faces ongoing challenges. The country's ability to capitalize on its uranium resources while navigating the headwinds in the diamond market will be crucial for its economic trajectory in the coming years.

Source: The Namibian

TotalEnergies’ Marula-1X Well Offshore Namibia Comes Up Dry

TotalEnergies’ latest exploration effort offshore Namibia has ended without a hydrocarbon discovery, as the Marula-1X well in Block 2913B failed to encounter oil or gas in its primary target. Drilled by the Deepsea Mira semi-submersible rig to a total depth of 6,460 meters, the well was designed to test Albian-age sandstones within the Marula fan complex, located about 47 kilometers south of the Venus-1X oil discovery in the Orange Basin.

No hydrocarbons were found in the Marula-1X well, and as a result, no drill stem test was performed. Following the completion of drilling, the Deepsea Mira rig will be demobilized from the site.

Impact Oil & Gas, a partner on the block, described the outcome as disappointing but emphasized that the comprehensive data collected will be integrated into ongoing evaluations to better understand the block’s full potential. “The initial data from the Marula-1X well confirms a disappointing outcome for the Marula prospect. However, the full suite of well data acquired will be integrated into the evaluation to realise the block’s full potential,” said Siraj Ahmed, CEO of Impact Oil & Gas.

Block 2913B covers approximately 8,215 square kilometers in deepwater offshore Namibia, with water depths reaching up to 3,000 meters. The block is also home to the significant Venus light oil discovery, which continues to attract industry attention for further exploration opportunities.

A comprehensive analysis of the Marula-1X well results is now underway as TotalEnergies and its partners reassess their exploration strategy in the Orange Basin.

Source: The Namibian

GREEN HYDROGEN

Ngurare Calls for Women’s Empowerment in Green Hydrogen Sector

Namibia’s Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has called for the inclusive participation of women in the country’s green hydrogen and broader green industrialisation efforts, emphasising the importance of training, education, and access to opportunity for equitable growth in the emerging sector.

Gender Equity as a Pillar of Green Industrialisation

Delivering remarks on behalf of the Prime Minister, Moses Pakote, Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister, told participants at the Women in Green Hydrogen (WiGH) Namibia event that women must be positioned at the centre of Namibia’s green transition.

“There will be many opportunities ensuing from green industrialisation, and the best way for women to benefit from such opportunities will be through skills upgrading, training and education, financing, inclusive procurement, and as part of affirmative economic empowerment,” Pakote said.

Ngurare also stressed that the focus on women’s inclusion should go beyond the green hydrogen sector, highlighting industries such as oil and gas, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, and information technology.

Data Gap and Representation Concerns

WiGH Namibia Country Lead Iyaloo Akuaake expressed concern over outdated participation data, noting that the most recent available statistics from 2019 showed only 35% female representation in the sector.

“We’re going to look at and see if there’s an opportunity for us to revisit these statistics and probably do a study to see what the current figures are,” she said.

Akuaake also noted that while the oil and gas and green hydrogen industries demand different skill sets, both are essential to Namibia’s long-term development and energy goals.

Financing Favors Clean Energy Transition

Akuaake added that investment trends are increasingly leaning toward clean energy, with green hydrogen projects more likely to secure funding due to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.

“Some investors don’t want to fund oil and gas because it’s not considered clean. A lot of money is going towards clean energy sources such as green hydrogen because of investors’ responsibility toward ESG,” she said.

The Bottom Line

As Namibia accelerates its green industrialisation drive, platforms like WiGH Namibia are pushing for gender equity and policy inclusion. Stakeholders agree that ensuring women’s active participation is not only a matter of fairness but a strategic move for a sustainable, low-carbon economy.

Source : The Brief

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Namibian Roads Claiming Lives — Let’s Change That This Long Weekend

As the long weekend approaches, thousands of Namibians will be hitting the roads — but with increased traffic comes increased risk. Year after year, our highways become scenes of tragedy due to speeding, fatigue, reckless overtaking, and alcohol abuse behind the wheel.

The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) continues to report a troubling rise in road accidents during holiday periods, many of which are preventable. Families are torn apart in seconds. Dreams are ended on the tar.

We must do better.

👉 Plan your trip — leave early and rest often.
👉 Wear your seatbelt.
👉 Don’t drink and drive.
👉 Drive to arrive — not to impress.

Every life matters. This weekend, let’s protect ours and those of others by driving responsibly. The road is not a race track — it’s a shared space. Be alert. Be kind. Be alive.