Ndapwilapo Selma Shimutwikeni, Founder & CEO of RichAfrica Consultancy & Namibia International Energy Conference, in an interview with Business Report, said that Namibia's relationship with South Africa remains a cornerstone of its regional engagement.
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Ndapwilapo Selma Shimutwikeni, founder and CEO of RichAfrica Consultancy and the Namibia International Energy Conference, has said that Namibia's relationship with South Africa remains central to its regional economic strategy, underpinned by strong trade and energy cooperation.
In an interview with Business Report last week, Shimutwikeni said that established trade linkages across goods, services, and industrial inputs are further reinforced through frameworks such as SACU and SADC, which underpin cross-border commerce and economic cooperation.
“In the energy space, regional collaboration continues through mechanisms such as the Southern African Power Pool. At the same time, Namibia is taking deliberate steps to strengthen domestic capacity, diversify its energy mix, and enhance long-term energy security — reducing dependence while deepening regional partnerships where it adds strategic value,” she said.
Shimutwikeni added that the broader opportunity lies in leveraging these relationships to unlock new industries, deepen infrastructure connectivity, and drive sustainable growth — building a more self-sufficient, competitive, and resilient energy system without losing sight of the regional integration that underpins it.
She said that Namibia's Orange Basin has firmly established the country as a credible destination for long-term energy investment.
“What we are seeing is not simply exploration success — it is a fundamental shift in perception, from frontier market to a recognised player on the global energy stage. The impact extends well beyond Namibia's borders,” she said.
“The scale of recent discoveries has catalysed regional interest, drawing capital not only into upstream development but across the broader value chain — infrastructure, logistics, finance, and local enterprise.”
Shimutwikeni said that this momentum is strengthening southern Africa's position as an integrated and increasingly competitive energy region.
“Importantly, Namibia's opportunity is not confined to the Orange Basin alone. Basins such as Lüderitz and Walvis remain largely underexplored, yet hold significant potential. This positions Namibia as a genuine multi-basin energy province, offering sustained upside over the long term rather than a single cycle of discovery.”
Shimutwikeni said that the priority now is ensuring this momentum translates into meaningful economic transformation — where investment drives industrial development, builds local capacity, and creates lasting value across the economy.
She added that Africa's natural resource wealth is well documented.
“The real differentiator in attracting and sustaining investment, however, is governance. Capital follows stability. Countries that demonstrate policy clarity, regulatory certainty, and institutional strength are far better positioned to attract long-term, high-quality investment than those relying on geology alone.”
Shimutwikeni said that building this enabling environment — through transparent regulatory frameworks, accountable revenue management, and sustained investment in infrastructure and institutions — is what converts resource potential into economic reality.
“Equally important is the shift from extraction to value creation. Natural resources must serve as a catalyst for industrialisation, local content development, skills transfer, and economic diversification. The goal is not simply to produce more, but to build economies that are resource-smart, value-driven, and globally competitive.”
Shimutwikeni concluded that Africa has the endowment. “The opportunity now lies in building the systems and governance structures that turn that endowment into lasting prosperity.”
BUSINESS REPORT