Also known as: Minister of mines and energy Tom Alweendo
Former Minister of Mines and Energy calling for local financial institutions and implementation planning in Namibia's oil and gas sector.
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The Namibian
Tom Alweendo rejected Red Soil's application for a petroleum exploration licence
“The company Red Soil Energy and Mineral Exploration (Red Soil) filed a case in the Windhoek High Court in 2021 after the then minister of mines and energy, Tom Alweendo, rejected its application for a petroleum exploration licence covering four oil blocks off the southern Namibian coast.”
Oil licence dispute resurfaces in Supreme CourtThe Namibian
Tom Alweendo is chief executive and founder of Alvenco Advisory
“Tom Alweendo is the chief executive and founder of Alvenco Advisory.”
Local Content Must Mean Real Work for Young NamibiansNew Era
Tom Alweendo holds a bachelor's degree and an MBA from reputable universities
“For example, Tom Alweendo (a policymaker) holds a bachelor's degree and an MBA from reputable universities.”
Opinion – Unqualified leadership undermines developmentNew Era
Tom Alweendo served as Governor of the Bank of Namibia and head of the National Planning Commission
“He served as Governor of the Bank of Namibia and head of the National Planning Commission (NPC), roles that require deep economic and financial expertise.”
Opinion – Unqualified leadership undermines developmentThe Namibian
Tom Alweendo refused to renew Paragon's PEL 37 licence
“Paragon has been trying to renew the licence for PEL 37 since 2021, when Tom Alweendo was minister of mines and energy. Alweendo refused to renew the licence.”
President Nandi-Ndaitwah orders legal review of Paragon Oil’s controversial PEL 37 licence renewalThe Namibian
Tom Alweendo has warned that associated gas should not be treated as an afterthought if offshore volumes prove significant
“Alvenco Advisory chief executive Tom Alweendo has warned that associated gas should not be treated as an afterthought if volumes from Namibia's offshore oil discoveries prove to be significant.”
Gas planning crucialfor offshore successThe Namibian
Tom Alweendo is former minister of mines and energy and founder of Alvenco Advisory
“Tom Alweendo is the former minister of mines and energy and the founder of Alvenco Advisory.”
Beware the Trojan Grant: Why Downgrading Namibia’s Status Is No Cause for CelebrationThe Namibian
Minister Tom Alweendo says the government will continue to work towards making Namibia's oil dreams a reality
“Minister of mines and energy Tom Alweendo says the government will continue to work towards making Namibia's oil dreams a reality.”
Namibia’s oil aspirations unshaken despite Shell’s US$400-million write-offThe Namibian
Tom Alweendo says Africa should not be forced to move to cleaner energy by developed countries
“Mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo says Africa should not be forced to move to cleaner energy by developed countries.”
‘Africa should follow own energy strategy’The Namibian
Tom Alweendo stated Africa is the least polluting continent
“The minister emphasised that Africa is the least polluting continent.”
‘Africa should follow own energy strategy’Former mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo told a Bank of Namibia seminar that Namibia's financial institutions must build capacity to participate in the emerging oil and gas sector, warning that discoveries alone will not translate into prosperity without strong institutions, financing capacity and local participation.
5 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Former mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo told a Bank of Namibia seminar that Namibia's financial institutions must build capacity to participate in the emerging oil and gas sector, warning that discoveries alone will not translate into prosperity without strong institutions, financing capacity and local participation.
5 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Tom Alweendo, former Minister of Mines and Energy, has called on local banks and financial institutions to play a more active role in Namibia's oil and gas industry, warning that without their participation the financial value chain—including advisory fees and project structuring—will be captured by foreign institutions.
4 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Bank of Namibia officially presented athletics legend Frank Fredericks with a commemorative coin that was minted in his honour in 1996 but had never been handed over until now.
1 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Thirty-six years after independence, Namibia remains one of the world's most unequal nations despite political stability, vast natural resources and upper-middle-income status. Nearly one million Namibians live in informal settlements and youth unemployment is high, with wealth concentrated among a small segment of society, a legacy of colonial and apartheid-era policies.
31 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Former mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo has called on the government to publish a clear implementation plan for Namibia's nine cooperation agreements with China signed during a presidential state visit in July, saying the country must move from diplomatic agreements to concrete industrial planning with measurable economic benefits and identify priority minerals, processing stages, infrastructure gaps, and annual targets for investment and exports.
14 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Mineworkers' Union of Namibia channels members' dues through Namibia Miners Investment Trust (Namit) and Nam-Mic Holdings, which have grown into a N$900-million portfolio with stakes in banks, mines, hotels and other sectors. Members and their representatives say they have seen little benefit from their decades of contributions and allege lack of transparency and financial irregularities.
21 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Southern Africa is entering a new minerals cycle driven by the energy transition and demand for critical minerals, giving Namibia and the SADC region a chance to capture deeper industrial value through local processing. Success requires more than regulation — it demands reliable electricity, water, environmental systems, skilled technicians, infrastructure, finance and customers.
10 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's offshore oil is legally owned by investors with 90%, while the state receives revenue through taxes and royalties, limiting the country's control over development decisions and ability to secure local benefits. President Nandi-Ndaitwah has positioned the delayed petroleum amendment bill as critical to strengthening the state's bargaining position on local content, job creation, and value retention, though fundamental investor control over operations cannot be altered.
25 April 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Acting judge David Mangota ruled that Zambezi Exploration's urgent application to restrain the minister of industries, mines and energy from implementing a decision about a petroleum exploration licence for block 2812A did not meet the requirements to be heard as urgent, finding the urgency was self-created because the company delayed action after learning of a rival's relinquishment in January 2023. The judge ordered Zambezi Exploration to pay the legal costs of the minister and Vena Gemstones & Mining, the company that was awarded the licence.
21 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Red Soil Energy has appealed to the Supreme Court over the mines ministry's 2021 rejection of its petroleum exploration licence application for four offshore oil blocks. The company claims it was treated unfairly and differently from competing applicants, while the minister argues the application was incomplete and lacked required financial documentation.
16 April 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that Namibia's local content policy in oil and gas should be measured by actual skilled employment, apprenticeships linked to real job demand, and technology transfer—not merely spending figures or scholarships—to prevent fronting and ensure young Namibians gain lasting capability and productive livelihoods.
8 February 2026 · The Namibian →
A political science student argues that elected councillors and regional representatives lack sufficient educational qualifications to effectively manage budgets, interpret legislation, and drive development, citing examples like Katima Mulilo's land mismanagement and calling for a national dialogue on minimum leadership standards.
7 February 2026 · New Era →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has asked the attorney general to review the circumstances surrounding Paragon Oil & Gas' petroleum exploration licence (PEL 37) renewal, which was granted for four years despite regulations limiting third renewals to two years. The licence resurfaced as a controversy when former mines minister Natangwe Ithete was fired last year, allegedly for approving the renewal against the president's wishes.
26 January 2026 · The Namibian →