Namibia must look beyond oil wells for jobs

Namibia’s rising oil ambitions have sparked hopes of mass job creation, but history warns of caution. Countries like Angola and Nigeria, some of Africa’s top producers, offer a sobering lesson. Decades of output and billions in revenue have not resolved unemployment, nor have they translated into broad improvements in living standards comparable to those of some Middle Eastern producers. Oil wealth in Angola has driven GDP growth, but job creation has lagged, leaving many excluded — a pattern often associated with the resource curse. A key reason lies in ownership and financing structures. Much of the sector is driven by international oil companies, limiting domestic participation and the flow-through of benefits to local economies. Upstream jobs are highly specialised and capital-intensive. Without building a skilled workforce, many roles will continue to be filled externally, tempering expectations of large-scale employment. The real opportunity lies downstream — refining, logistics, petrochemicals and services — where job creation is broader. Namibia must prepare deliberately for this phase. Unless local participation is expanded through strategic acquisition and capacity building, rather than abrupt intervention, the promise of oil-led employment may remain just that — a dream.