Key points
- The bill passed its second reading late Tuesday, a week after opposition lawmakers walked out of the debate.
- It would create a new regulatory authority in the office of the president.
- Committees will review it clause by clause before a final National Assembly vote.
Namibia’s Petroleum Amendment Bill cleared its second reading in parliament late on Tuesday, a week after opposition lawmakers walked out of the debate over its current form.
The bill has sparked fierce debate among the public, opposition parties and analysts. Critics say it strips away key oversight functions and concentrates power over the energy sector in the presidency.
It is seen as a major test for President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who has championed it as a cornerstone of her regulatory reform agenda since taking office.
The presidency dismissed the concerns, saying the new regulatory authority in the president’s office will speed decision-making and has the necessary checks and balances.
Opposition objections
“The decision to create a mini ministry of mines and energy in the presidency is a wrong move and undemocratic,” said Immanuel Nashinge, parliamentary leader of the official opposition Independent Patriots for Change, whose party helped lead the walkout.
Lawmakers also criticized the procedure, noting that upstream leadership structures have operated ahead of formal legislative backing.
Independent analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said Namibia’s oil future “must be built on transparency, accountability and strong institutions, not political control and rushed decisions.”
What comes next
The bill now goes to parliamentary committees for clause-by-clause review before returning to the National Assembly for final approval.
The ruling party holds 51 of 96 seats and is split by internal factions ahead of its elective conference next year, so analysts say smooth passage is unclear.
Meanwhile, Namibia, a global exploration hotspot, is pushing for first oil production around 2030.
