Ndumba Kamwanya on pros and cons of Namibia’s oil and gas future

[PODCAST]

Namibia’s recent oil and gas discoveries have been hailed as a game-changer for our economy, with promises of jobs, growth, and billions in government revenue. But there’s also a word of caution. The Institute for Public Policy Research’s executive director, Graham Hopwood, has warned against overselling the dream reminding us that overpromising could leave citizens disillusioned if the benefits take longer to materialise.

A new Deloitte baseline survey predicts around 12 000 direct and indirect jobs will be created during the construction and production phases, but questions remain: how realistic are these figures, and what lessons can Namibia draw from past resource sectors like diamonds and uranium?

To help us unpack this, we’re joined by political analyst Ndumba Kamwanya.