The President of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has appointed Modestus Amutse as the new Minister of Mines, Energy, and Industry for the resource-rich Southern African nation. This significant cabinet reshuffle, announced on a Tuesday, places Amutse at the helm of a crucial portfolio at a time when the country is navigating an intense period of energy development and industrialisation. The appointment follows the unexpected removal of Natangwe Ithete from the position in October, an action that briefly saw the President assume control of the ministry to ensure stability before Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs Frans Kapofi was appointed to oversee the portfolio on an interim basis, as reported by the Namibian Presidency.

The swift change in leadership within the ministry is particularly noteworthy given the context of the previous minister’s departure. Natangwe Ithete was relieved of his duties as both Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industries, Mines, and Energy amid reports he had violated a presidential directive concerning petroleum licensing. According to the Windhoek Observer, President Nandi-Ndaitwah later confirmed that Ithete had been dismissed for defying a moratorium on oil deals, specifically by allegedly renewing an expired oil block licence without consultation or approval, an action deemed to have undermined executive oversight. This move underscored the new administration’s focus on strengthening accountability and control over the strategic oil and gas sector, which the President had explicitly brought under her direct authority shortly after taking office.

The new Minister, Modestus Amutse, brings a background in public administration to the role, having previously served as Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology and held various leadership roles within the National Assembly. A statement from the Namibian Presidency highlighted that Amutse’s extensive public service experience is expected to foster continuity and reinforce the implementation of key national development priorities. These priorities include accelerating industrialisation, strengthening the mining sector, and advancing the energy space across all regions of the country, aligning with the administration’s post-election commitment to effective governance and service delivery.

Amutse takes charge of the ministry at a pivotal moment for Namibia’s economy. The nation is well-known for its substantial mineral wealth, including significant deposits of diamonds and uranium, but is currently focused on an ambitious drive to become a major crude oil producer. Following several world-class offshore discoveries in the Orange Basin by international energy majors like TotalEnergies and Shell, the country is targeting its first crude oil production by 2030. According to the country’s Petroleum Commissioner, as referenced by Argus Media, first oil production from TotalEnergies’ Venus field is projected for 2029 or 2030. These discoveries, which analysts estimate could potentially host over 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent in prospective resources, hold the promise of dramatically transforming Namibia’s economic landscape, with oil revenues potentially rivalling 30% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product by 2035 if even a quarter of the current finds are successfully developed. The new Minister’s mandate will be central to managing the immense regulatory and economic complexities associated with attracting global investment while ensuring that the benefits from this emerging energy powerhouse status are equitably distributed and contribute to long-term national development goals.