Merger and acquisition (M&A) exercise continues to emerge as a important engine for progress in Namibia’s upstream oil and fuel sector, as emphasised throughout a high-level panel dialogue on the Namibia Worldwide Vitality Convention (NIEC) on Thursday. Business leaders outlined how strategic M&A offers usually are not solely reshaping the nation’s power panorama, but in addition taking part in a key position in unlocking capital and accelerating exploration.
Gil Holzman, CEO of Eco Atlantic Oil&Fuel, highlighted how acquisitions have underpinned his firm’s enlargement in Namibia since its entry into the market in 2009, stating: “Most of our greatest blocks are the results of M&As. Our most up-to-date acquisition was in 2021 once we purchased Azinam, which gave us promising blocks within the Orange Basin.”
In accordance with Holzman, these acquisitions have fortified Eco Atlantic’s asset portfolio whereas positioning Namibia as an more and more engaging frontier for international exploration. He pointed to M&A transactions involving supermajors equivalent to ExxonMobil, QatarEnergy, Chevron and TotalEnergies as instrumental in bringing in not simply capital, but in addition the technical capabilities wanted to advance exploration in Namibia’s offshore and onshore basins.
Discussing the corporate’s operational technique, Holzman emphasised a phased strategy anchored in collaboration: “We purpose to safe promising prospects, de-risk them internally after which appeal to companions with the technical know-how and capital required to unlock new frontiers.”
Echoing this sentiment, Adam Rubin, Basic Counsel at ReconAfrica, emphasised that M&As stay a strategic avenue to catalyze worth creation, drive innovation and meet the substantial capital calls for of upstream improvement. “We now have not but produced onshore, however the oil is there. Be affected person – we are going to discover it and produce,” he mentioned, reaffirming the corporate’s dedication to transferring from exploration towards full-scale manufacturing within the Kavango Basin.
Robert Bose, CEO of Sintana Vitality, added that M&A exercise has performed a central position in enabling Sintana to broaden its asset base and construct relationships with complementary companions. “M&As have helped us join with the suitable companions and diversify our portfolio,” he mentioned. “Value-effective funding stays a key motivator, and we’re centered on disciplined progress.”
From a monetary perspective, Liz Williamson, Head of Vitality at Rand Service provider Financial institution, outlined the alternatives that come up when IOCs divest from mature or late-life belongings. She famous that such strikes typically create openings for mid-cap companies with contemporary capital and a centered strategy to step in. “This development is helpful for African governments, as middle-tier firms are sometimes higher suited to completely decide to and put money into these initiatives,” she defined.
Williamson additionally underscored the significance of building clear, investor-friendly deal frameworks and native content material insurance policies that construct investor confidence. “Not many African international locations are presently securing important international direct funding, and Namibia should keep its enchantment by providing readability on native content material legal guidelines,” she mentioned.
As Namibia emerges as a key exploration hotspot on the continent, discussions round capital flows, deal-making and upstream enlargement are set to proceed at African Vitality Week 2025: Spend money on African Energies, happening from September 29-October 3, 2025 in Cape City. The occasion will unite trade leaders, buyers and authorities representatives to advance dialogue, showcase venture alternatives and drive strategic partnerships throughout Africa’s power panorama. Namibia’s rising profile and up to date exploration success will probably be a focus, drawing elevated consideration from international stakeholders in search of entry into one of many continent’s most dynamic markets.
AEW: Spend money on African Energies is the platform of selection for venture operators, financiers, expertise suppliers and authorities, and has emerged because the official place to signal offers in African power. Go to www.AECWeek.com for extra details about this thrilling occasion.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Vitality Chamber.
