President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for mutual trust and benefit in the oil sector with investors. Dr. Nandi Ndaitwah made the call during the courtesy visit by the Executive Vice President, for Exploration, Strategy and Portfolio for Integrated Gas and Upstream at Shell, Eugene Okpere.

Shell has expressed interest in further investing in Namibia's oil industry, having already spent about one-billion dollars on exploration.

The Head of State says such partnerships must be mutually beneficial to ensure long-term collaboration.

“We are happy that Shell is one of those who have shown interest and to come in and work with us to activate this strategic industry. And we are really looking forward to work with you. As I said yesterday, in mutual trust for mutual benefit,because each one has to be a winner. The good partnership is based on each one winning. And then through that you have a long collaboration,” she said.

While highlighting the benefits of oil and gas development, and benchmarking against Nigeria, Okpere says Namibia has made significant progress in just four years, with 25 exploration wells drilled.

Okpere further commended President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on the progress made over the past year in the sector.

“I've seen Nigeria go from not having anything to today 40% of the 1.2 million barrels I did in Nigeria are actually run by Nigerian oil and gas companies that are locally held and Shell was very much part of that and since you've came in you've put the industry under your wings and despite everything going on about complexity and activity.

“ I'm really glad to see that not one operator can complain that the system slowed them down and they couldn't get the activity done twenty-five wells in four years it's pretty much a record for this type of frontier, emerging basin and therefore I think a lot of recognition to your leadership and it gives us a lot of hope and optimism that this is a long-term partnership we're going to build,” he said.