Also known as: French oil giant TotalEnergies · FRENCH energy major TotalEnergies · TotalEnergies EP Namibia BV · TotalEnergies EP Congo · Total · TotalEnergies Venus
Energy company operating the Mopane oil block and developing the Venus oil discovery offshore Namibia, with Final Investment Decision targeted for 2027.
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Informanté
TotalEnergies is involved in appraising discoveries in the Orange and Walvis basins.
“Giordano also highlighted the involvement of major international operators, including Chevron, Shell, TotalEnergies and Rhino Resources, in appraising discoveries in the Orange and Walvis basins, with first production expected by 2030.”
US pledges support to help Namibia turn oil discoveries into lasting prosperityWindhoek Observer
TotalEnergies made oil discovery Venus in the Orange Basin
“The presentation highlighted recent oil discoveries in the Orange Basin, including Jonker and Graff by Shell, Venus by TotalEnergies, Mopane by Galp, Volans and Capricornus by Rhino Resources and Merlin-1X by Shell.”
Welwitschia Fund reaches $508.47m market valueNamibian Sun
TotalEnergies proposed development of Venus oil discovery requiring about US$17 billion (N$274 billion) in investment
“The proposed development of TotalEnergies' Venus oil discovery could require about US$17 billion (N$274 billion) in investment – an amount larger than Namibia's entire annual...”
Venus oil project’s N$274bn cost exceeds Namibia’s GDP – UangutaWindhoek Observer
TotalEnergies is advancing projects in oil and gas in Namibia
“TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and other partners are advancing projects, while final investment decisions are expected to become increasingly important during 2026.”
Does Namibia Have Enough Money?The Namibian
TotalEnergies is expected to decide whether to build the Venus field
“In the closing months of this year, TotalEnergies is expected to decide whether to build the Venus field.”
The Stake We Did Not Pay ForInformanté
TotalEnergies made the Venus-1X discovery
“The report highlights that major discoveries by international energy companies, including Shell's Graff-1X well, TotalEnergies' Venus-1X discovery and Galp Energia's Mopane discovery, have positioned Namibia as a potential new global energy frontier.”
NIPDB report highlights urgent skills gap ahead of Namibia’s oil and gas boomWindhoek Observer
TotalEnergies will hold 40% operating interest in Petroleum Exploration Licence 83
“Once concluded, TotalEnergies will hold a 40% operating interest in Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) 83, which contains the Mopane discovery.”
IPC calls for transparency in Namibia’s offshore petroleum dealsInformanté
TotalEnergies acquired 40% interest and operatorship of Galp Energia's Mopane oil discovery
“THE Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy has approved TotalEnergies' acquisition of a 40% interest and operatorship of Galp Energia's giant Mopane oil discovery in the Orange Basin, paving the way for the French energy company to expand its offshore presence while advancing plans for a final investment decision on the Venus development.”
Namibia approves TotalEnergies’ Mopane acquisition, strengthens offshore oil ambitionsThe Namibian
TotalEnergies EP Namibia denies wrongdoing over employment contract terms
“TotalEnergies and Apos deny any wrongdoing, saying the new terms improve workers' pay and benefits, and that staff who sought clarification were given the chance to raise questions.”
TotalEnergies ‘off-market’ contracts spark backlash from Namibian workersNew Era
TotalEnergies is conducting or planning exploration and appraisal drilling campaigns offshore Namibia
“Namibia's emerging oil and gas sector has attracted several international oil companies, including Shell, TotalEnergies, Chevron, Rhino Resources and Galp, which are conducting or planning exploration and appraisal drilling campaigns offshore Namibia.”
Oil, gas dream turns into struggle for qualified NamibiansThe Namibian government has approved TotalEnergies' takeover as operator of petroleum exploration licence 83, which contains the Mopane discovery. TotalEnergies now owns 40% of the block, with partner Galp Energia holding 40%, and plans a three-well appraisal campaign ahead of a final investment decision targeted for 2028.
3 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian government has approved TotalEnergies' takeover as operator of petroleum exploration licence 83, which contains the Mopane discovery. TotalEnergies now owns 40% of the block, with partner Galp Energia holding 40%, and plans a three-well appraisal campaign ahead of a final investment decision targeted for 2028.
3 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The City of Windhoek is launching a new permit system for heavy vehicles over nine tonnes entering the city from 1 September, requiring operators to obtain permits for delivery or authorised purposes and restricting unpermitted vehicles to industrial areas. The city says the system is needed to reduce congestion and road damage caused by rising heavy vehicle traffic.
1 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, speaking at the Offshore Northern Seas Summit in Norway, urged international investors to explore Namibia's emerging oil and gas opportunities, noting that the country has moved beyond exploration to the development phase with recent discoveries in the Orange Basin including Venus, where partners plan a floating production system with approximately 160,000 barrels per day capacity.
30 August 2026 · Informanté →
Norwegian energy major Equinor has acquired a 17.4% participating interest in Petroleum Exploration Licence 90 (PEL 90) offshore Namibia and expressed optimism about the potential for a significant oil discovery in the Orange Basin, with a drill-ready prospect scheduled for testing later this year.
30 August 2026 · Informanté →
The proposed Venus oil discovery could require US$17 billion in investment—exceeding Namibia's estimated annual economy—with planned production of 150,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day. The article argues that entrepreneurs should focus on the supporting ecosystem of services and industries that the major project would create, rather than the headline transaction itself.
24 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibian vehicle sales reached 1,523 units in June 2026, up 14.6% from 1,329 units in June 2025 and 30.4% from May's 1,168 units, marking the strongest June since 2017. First-half 2026 sales totalled 7,845 units, up 11.9% from 7,010 units in H1 2025, the strongest first half since 2018.
24 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
TotalEnergies says a Final Investment Decision on the Venus oil project must be taken before 2027, citing completed engineering work and ongoing discussions with authorities. The company warns that contractor tender offers have validity periods and delays could increase costs or require reassessment.
23 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia has made significant offshore oil discoveries but has not yet begun commercial production. Before counting potential revenue, the country needs serious national dialogue about resource ownership, development, government revenue, realistic expectations, and preventing an oil boom from becoming a resource curse—but Namibians currently lack sufficient understanding of the industry.
21 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
At the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse reassured investors that policy uncertainty will not derail Namibia's most advanced offshore oil projects, citing institutional, policy, and fiscal certainty. The move of upstream petroleum control from the energy ministry to the Office of the Presidency is a deliberate realignment to protect the sector, Amutse said, while a new local content policy approved this month provides investors with clear expectations.
20 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Cabinet has approved the National Upstream Petroleum Local Content Policy, designed to increase Namibian participation across the petroleum value chain through local business development, employment, skills transfer, and procurement access. The government aims to move from exploration to production between 2026 and 2030, prioritising local employment, suppliers, and skills development.
20 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Special Advisor Kornelia Shilunga outlined Namibia's vision for converting oil and gas sector decisions into national benefits at the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference 2026.
19 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The US Ambassador to Namibia says the country's offshore petroleum discoveries could deliver long-term economic benefits, jobs, and skills development, but cautioned that a Final Investment Decision would only mark the beginning of work needed to achieve lasting prosperity. US oilfield service companies are already operating in Namibia.
19 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Welwitschia Fund, established in 2022 to convert Namibia's resource wealth into longer-term financial wealth, has recorded a market value of US$30.85 million (N$508.47 million) as of 31 July, with an annualised return of 15.5% since inception. The fund is designed to strengthen Namibia's resilience to economic shocks and promote intergenerational equity, with a companion Sovereign Wealth Fund of Namibia Bill expected to be tabled in Parliament in 2026.
17 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The proposed development of TotalEnergies' Venus oil discovery could require about US$17 billion (N$274 billion) in investment, an amount larger than Namibia's entire annual GDP, according to Uanguta.
17 August 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Namibia's economic debate centres on whether the country has insufficient money, but observers argue it has substantial institutional savings, pension assets, and private wealth that are not being channelled into Namibian-owned productive enterprises. Public debt stood at N$167.2 billion (67.3% of GDP) in 2024/25 and was projected to rise to N$182.9 billion (67.5% of GDP) in 2025/26, while the Government Institutions Pension Fund held approximately N$209 billion in assets as of March 2026, with 47.8% invested locally.
15 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia holds carried stakes in multiple offshore oil and gas blocks, including 10% of the Venus field licence expected to be developed by TotalEnergies by 2029. The article argues that the national conversation should focus on whether these current equity positions will translate into meaningful ownership as production begins.
11 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The National Planning Commission said government will only factor oil income into fiscal planning once oil and gas projects reach a final investment decision, and that borrowing decisions are based on broader economic projections rather than a single sector. The clarification followed criticism from the Independent Patriots for Change, which had accused the NPC director general of proposing that Namibia borrow against future oil revenues despite sector uncertainty.
5 August 2026 · The Namibian →
A report by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board and the International Labour Organization warns that Namibia currently has only about 45% of the skills required to support its emerging oil and gas sector, with major offshore discoveries by Shell, TotalEnergies, and Galp Energia expected to drive first oil production around 2029 or 2030. The report highlights a mismatch between skills produced by local education and training institutions and the specialized competencies demanded by the industry.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Independent Patriots for Change has called on the government and state-owned Namcor to provide full transparency on Namibia's offshore petroleum developments, particularly regarding Galp's transaction with TotalEnergies, which received regulatory approval in July. The IPC emphasised that Namcor's financial obligations, development exposure, and revenue expectations must be clarified.
31 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Namibian Ports Authority has rejected a proposal by a Ghanaian businessman and his Namibian partners to develop a N$4-billion oil and gas supply base at the Port of Lüderitz, finding that the company did not meet requirements for a 25-year development concession.
26 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy approved TotalEnergies' acquisition of a 40% interest and operatorship of Galp Energia's Mopane oil discovery in the Orange Basin, while Galp will acquire a 10% stake in TotalEnergies' Venus project. The transaction advances Namibia's offshore petroleum sector and strengthens TotalEnergies' strategic presence in the region.
26 July 2026 · Informanté →
Namibian contract workers on TotalEnergies' offshore oil project say they were handed new employment terms on a 'take-it-or-leave-it' basis with no room to negotiate, citing concerns about no pension, limited medical aid, and years without salary increases. TotalEnergies and recruitment firm Apos deny wrongdoing, saying the new terms improve pay and benefits.
22 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Young Namibians who obtained internationally recognised offshore training in anticipation of jobs in the emerging oil and gas sector are facing difficulties securing employment, despite the government projecting 4,000 to 12,000 jobs over the next 30 years. One woman spent N$50,000 of her savings on offshore certification in South Africa after President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah encouraged Namibians to prepare for opportunities in the sector, but has yet to secure work in the industry.
13 July 2026 · New Era →
As Namibia prepares for major oil production starting around 2029, an analyst argues that without deliberate efforts to ensure broad-based prosperity—not just enrichment of a connected elite—the country risks repeating the pattern of oil-dependent economies where wealth concentrates and vulnerability increases when prices fall.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Crude oil is the single most important commodity for Namibian macroeconomic conditions. Global oil price surges—driven by Middle East disruptions and supply constraints—cascade quickly into domestic fuel price increases, as demonstrated by April-May 2026 fuel price hikes of 19.9% for petrol and 43.9% for diesel.
30 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
As Namibia prepares for offshore oil production, the government must formalize and gazette the National Upstream Petroleum Local Content Policy (finalized in March 2025) to ensure Namibian businesses and workers benefit from the sector. The article uses a kitchen analogy to argue that formal rules—modeled on lessons from Brazil and Norway—are essential for Namibia to build generational wealth from its oil resources.
24 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Economic Association of Namibia will conduct a study measuring how ready Namibian businesses are to engage with the oil and gas sector, with results to be unveiled at this year's oil and gas conference and an official report issued before year-end. A previous August 2024 survey identified capital, bureaucracy, and shortage of skilled people as roadblocks to Namibian business integration in the sector.
16 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Energy minister Modestus Amutse told parliament that international oil trader Vitol was selected to supply fuel to Namibia for three months because it required no government guarantees, whereas state oil company Namcor and other bidders needed guarantees the government was unwilling to provide. Vitol will supply fuel at the basic fuel price the government calculates monthly.
10 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Before investing in Namibia's Orange Basin, international oil companies assess not just geology but also government factors, with fiscal stability—assurance that tax rates and cost-recovery rules will not change—being the single most important requirement.
10 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Competition Commission has approved a transaction in which TotalEnergies EP Namibia BV and Windhoek PEL 28 BV exchange participating interests in three petroleum exploration licences. The regulator found the transaction resulted in only marginal change in market share and no public interest concerns.
4 June 2026 · The Namibian →