Namibia pledges strengthening bilateral relations with Uganda

KAMPALA - Namibia has pledged to strengthen bilateral relations with Uganda, with a focus on oil exploration and cooperation in the energy sector.

This commitment was made by Namibia premier Elijah Ngurare at International Hotel 2000 in Muyenga in Kampala city shortly after attending the swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Museveni at Kololo Independence Grounds on May 12, 2026.

“God endowed Namibia and Uganda with oil resources and many other mineral wealth, which we must exploit together as one African continent to develop its people. We need to fight for economic independence if we are to have ownership and control of our resources,” he said.

“If Uganda has oil, Namibia should buy from the fellow African and own petrol stations in sister countries for easy marketing of our own products. We are benchmarking Uganda's journey after the oil pipeline construction, and we are soon joining Uganda in oil and gas resource exploitation,” Ngurare added.

Ngurare highlights the growing interest in collaboration on energy resources exploitation, investment in agriculture, youth empowerment, engineering, health and information and communications technology.

“We cannot achieve all this without unity. Unity amongst African people is paramount, and that’s why I am advocating for joint co-operation in health internship exchange and local investment support,” he observed.

Namibia is positioning itself as Africa’s next major oil producer. Uganda, with its estimated 6.5 billion barrels of oil reserves in the Lake Albert basin, is an attractive partner for Namibia's oil exploration ambitions, according to Ngurare.

“Namibia, through local and foreign companies, is already making strides in exploring its own oil and gas resources, particularly in the Kavango basin.”

Ngurare believes that the partnership between Namibia and Uganda could see the two countries sharing expertise and resources in oil exploration, potentially boosting Uganda's oil production and export capabilities.

This development underscores the growing trend of African nations collaborating on energy projects, recognising the continent's vast potential in oil, gas, and renewable energy resources.

“We must invest in our people because they are a precious resource of Africa who must benefit from their resources. President Museveni today pledged to fight corruption, and this should help all African countries reflect on how we exploit copper, cobalt, iron ore, gold, uranium and coltan to the benefit of our people,” he noted. To him, no African country should remain poor when Africa is endowed with resources.

The Prime Minister of Namibia, Elijah Ngurare and the Chief Executive Officer Ham Enterprises Hamis Kiggundu during his visit to Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

Invest in the dreams of young people

Reflecting on what businessman Hamis Kiggundu has achieved through government support in the construction of Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium in Kampala, Ngurare urged African governments to invest in the dreams of young people.

He emphasised the importance of youth empowerment in driving the country's economic future.

“African governments need to provide concessional and collateral-free loans with flexible repayment terms to young entrepreneurs, with a focus on sustainable skills and agricultural development,” he said.

Let’s believe in our young people to live with a positive impression on investment in their dreams.

Kiggundu called for local investor support, asking Africans to believe in their own people for the holistic development of ideas and execution.

“Negative energy and criticism from the public is affecting local investors mentally, yet these are national facilities we would wish to construct in all the regions of Uganda,” he said.

Honorary consul of Namibia to Uganda, Godfrey Kirumira, is committed to strengthening the economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries.