Also known as: Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill · the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, 2025
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Petroleum Amendment Bill
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Windhoek Observer
Patience Makwele The government’s proposed changes to the administration of Namibia’s petroleum sector have cleared a key parliamentary hurdle, with 50 lawmakers voting in favour of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill despite a walkout by most opposition par …
Petroleum bill advances despite opposition walkout …50 MPs back second reading as oversight concerns persistWindhoek Observer
… The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill has cleared the Second Reading and now moves to the Committee Stage, which is the final phase in the National Assembly, before being forwarded to the National Council. …
Petroleum bill passed despite opposition walkoutThe Namibian
… National Assembly contribution by Honourable Dr Tobie Ocean Aupindi on the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill. …
Dr Tobie Aupindi Backs Petroleum Amendment Bill, Calls for Strong Governance and OversightWindhoek Observer
Patience Makwele Members of parliament have questioned whether the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill provides sufficient safeguards for state revenue as it proposes transferring several powers from the minister of industries, mines and energy to the President. …
Oil bill faces scrutiny over royalty safeguards …as MPs question transfer of powers to PresidentWindhoek Observer
Allexer Namundjembo Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has defended the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, saying the proposed reforms are necessary to safeguard Namibia’s emerging oil and gas industry and ensure the country’s petroleum resources are managed in the …
Ngurare defends petroleum bill as MPs push for worker protectionsInformanté
NAMIBIAN investor in oil and gas, Knowledge Katti, has voiced support for the establishment of the Upstream Petroleum Unit (UPU) in the Office of the President and the Petroleum Amendment Bill currently before Parliament, arguing that the reforms are necessary to strengthen overs …
Knowledge Katti backs Petroleum Amendment Bill and Upstream Petroleum UnitWindhoek Observer
Staff Writer Businessman Knowledge Katti has called on Parliament and national leaders to support the establishment of the Upstream Petroleum Unit (UPU) and the Petroleum Amendment Bill, saying the reforms are needed to help Namibia move from oil exploration to production. …
Katti defends oil sector reformsWindhoek Observer
… Last month, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced plans to speed up petroleum reforms, including progress on the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, as Namibia moves to prepare for first oil production. …
Offshore oil, gas sector continues to attract international interestNew Era
… iberately frustrates members to make it seem as though they’re disruptive.” The post comes after PDM leader McHenry Venaani on Tuesday stood up on a point of order to a deliberation being made by the Minister of Works and Transport, Veikko Nekundi, on the Petroleum Amendment Bill …
Speaker responds to Hengari’s claimsNew Era
The National Assembly is currently debating the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, which would shift day-to-day upstream oil governance to the Office of the President. …
Opinion – Build strong institutions of accountability not personal empiresThe National Assembly passed the second reading of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill on Tuesday with 50 lawmakers voting in favour, despite a walkout by most opposition parties. The bill, which proposes shifting certain responsibilities to the President and a new Upstream Petroleum Unit, now proceeds to the committee stage.
21 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The National Assembly passed the second reading of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill on Tuesday with 50 lawmakers voting in favour, despite a walkout by most opposition parties. The bill, which proposes shifting certain responsibilities to the President and a new Upstream Petroleum Unit, now proceeds to the committee stage.
21 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The National Assembly passed the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill on Tuesday with 50 votes, with most opposition parties walking out in protest; only the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters party and Swapo participated in the vote. The bill has cleared the Second Reading and now moves to the Committee Stage before going to the National Council.
20 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Dr Tobie Ocean Aupindi told Parliament on 6 October 2026 that he supports the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, which establishes an Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Office of the President and transfers certain powers from the Minister and Commissioner for Petroleum Affairs to the President and the Unit's leadership. He argued that Namibia requires a governance structure equal to the strategic importance of the petroleum sector as the country prepares for significant oil and gas discoveries and capital investment.
9 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Parliament has questioned whether the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill adequately protects state revenue as it proposes transferring powers from the minister of industries, mines and energy to the President, including establishment of an Upstream Petroleum Unit in the President's office and changes to oversight of royalties, licences, local content and environmental obligations. PDM Chief Whip Winnie Moongo raised concerns that the bill weakens existing safeguards requiring finance ministry concurrence for royalty decisions.
8 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has defended the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, saying it is necessary to safeguard Namibia's oil and gas industry and manage petroleum resources in the national interest. Ngurare urged lawmakers to put aside political differences and support the legislation, citing the unanimous bipartisan passage of the original Petroleum Act in 1991, while noting that debate has focused on criticism of placing the Upstream Petroleum Unit under the Presidency rather than on how citizens will benefit from newly discovered resources.
19 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibian oil and gas investor Knowledge Katti has issued a statement supporting the Petroleum Amendment Bill and the proposed Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Office of the President, arguing the reforms are necessary to strengthen oversight, attract investment, and accelerate Namibia's transition to oil production.
12 May 2026 · Informanté →
Knowledge Katti has urged Parliament and national leaders to support the creation of the Upstream Petroleum Unit (UPU) and the Petroleum Amendment Bill, arguing these reforms are necessary to help Namibia transition from oil exploration to production and address long-standing governance challenges in the sector.
11 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia's offshore oil and gas sector continues to draw international interest, with a hydrocarbon licence map showing growing exploration activity across coastal basins and frontier areas. Multiple international oil companies hold exploration licences, with newly allocated blocks involving companies such as Baobab Energy, Elephant Oil, and others, while the offshore Orange Basin remains the main focus following recent major oil discoveries.
8 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has responded to opposition criticism—particularly from Popular Democratic Movement legislator Inna Hengari—that she arbitrarily interrupts members and rules them out of order, saying her interventions are constitutional duties applying Parliament's own Standing Rules consistently and without exception, not personal acts.
27 March 2026 · New Era →
An opinion piece argues that the proposed Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, which would move upstream oil governance from the Ministry of Mines and Energy to the Office of the President, poses constitutional and accountability risks by concentrating discretion outside parliamentary scrutiny and historical safeguards. The author proposes instead creating an independent, specialised upstream regulator outside the Presidency, strengthening conflict-of-interest rules, operationalising dormant accountability laws, and equipping Parliament with resources to oversee the sector.
27 February 2026 · New Era →
President Nandi-Ndaitwah has challenged Independent Patriots for Change leader Panduleni Itula to provide empirical evidence linking her family to Namibia's upstream oil sector, reiterating her denial of direct or indirect interests. Itula held his third oil-related press conference in less than three weeks, presenting what he termed documented evidence of a systematic network involving the president's sons and husband across the petroleum value chain, including fuel imports, distribution, and investments.
25 February 2026 · New Era →
President Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on IPC leader Dr Panduleni Itula to provide credible and verifiable evidence for allegations that her son holds stakes in Namibia's petroleum industry. The Presidency dismissed the claims and clarified that the Petroleum Amendment Bill before Parliament applies strictly to upstream petroleum activities.
25 February 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters supports the Petroleum Amendment Bill, which would transfer core upstream petroleum powers from the responsible minister to the President. NEFF parliamentarian Kalimbo Iipumbu said the President must have final approval authority over petroleum sector decisions to protect the industry from regulatory capture and ensure it serves the people, though the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy should remain the primary technical and regulatory body.
23 February 2026 · New Era →
The Petroleum Amendment Bill, which would vest petroleum sector oversight powers in the Office of the President rather than the Ministry of Mines and Energy, faced mixed scrutiny in the National Assembly. Critics including Bernadus Swartbooi raised concerns about the legal doctrine of functus officio limiting presidential review powers and complicating court challenges, while others questioned whether oil advisors at State House are already performing duties that legally belong to the ministry.
19 February 2026 · New Era →
Namibian opposition leaders have divided over a proposed amendment to transfer upstream petroleum powers from the mines and energy minister to the Office of the President. While the government argues the change will strengthen governance of the emerging oil and gas sector, opposition figures including IPC leader Panduleni Itula, APP's Imms Nashinge, and PDM's McHenry Venaani warn that the shift risks undermining parliamentary oversight, constitutional separation of powers, and regulatory accountability.
11 February 2026 · New Era →
A media studies student argues that Namibia's petroleum amendment bill deserves careful pause and broader public consultation before passing, warning that rushing legislation risks serving short-term interests rather than long-term national benefit and noting cautionary lessons from past governance failures including the Fishrot scandal and Marine Resources Act.
11 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian government has challenged a TotalEnergies–Petrobras agreement to acquire controlling stakes in Petroleum Exploration Licence 104 offshore, stating it was informed only minutes before the public announcement and was not formally consulted despite legal requirements for ministerial approval. The ministry stressed that all petroleum transactions require prior approval under Namibian law and reaffirmed its commitment to regulatory compliance and transparency as the country's oil sector develops.
10 February 2026 · New Era →
The Landless People's Movement confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump has responded to a letter from party leader Bernadus Clinton Swartbooi sent during last year's election claiming minority groups faced discrimination and pressure in Namibia. Meanwhile, several parliamentarians reacted positively to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's recent address, though some cautioned that scrutiny of pending bills—particularly the Petroleum Amendment Bill—is essential before passage.
6 February 2026 · New Era →