Windhoek: The third Namibia Oil and Gas Conference (NOGC) commenced in Windhoek on Tuesday, with participants expected to exchange viewpoints and ideas on the industry.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the conference is organised by the Economic Association of Namibia and other stakeholders. It is being hosted in Windhoek and will run until Friday. The summit will provide a crucial platform for discussions on developing a skilled workforce for the energy sector.

As Namibia advances towards becoming a major player in the global energy industry, the event will also serve as an opportunity to explore the sector's future. Delivering the keynote address, Director of Corporate Services at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Abdulmalik Halilu, expressed optimism about Nigeria working with Namibia and other countries in the energy space.

'For Nigeria, we are ready to partner with Namibia and other African nations to build an energy sector that people and drive shared prosperity,' Halilu indicated. He called for patience in dealing with local content, citing Nigeria as an example.

'It takes time, so you have to be consistent. Local content started as a policy. It became a law. Today we have the Nigerian first policy, which means the benefits of local content have extended to other sectors of the economy, where the president is saying Nigeria first in all other sectors,' he said.

Speaking during the event, Rhino Resources Namibia's Deputy Country Manager, Ndakolo Haiduwa, expressed satisfaction at being the first operator in Namibia's history to complete a drilling campaign fully supported by Namibian integrated services. Haiduwa also highlighted the opportunities the energy sector offers for the youth, stressing the importance of ensuring that every Namibian benefits.

He urged attendees to use the platform to explore ways of addressing challenges arising from disagreements. 'Let us use the platform to be truly honest with ourselves, innovative in our solutions, to help mitigate the challenges that would arise from conflict and unhealthy competition,' he noted.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Natangue Ithete, is expected to deliver his keynote address at the conference on Wednesday.