Who will make money from Namibia’s oil boom?
Billions of dollars are being committed to offshore exploration, but the question of how much Namibian businesses will earn from the industry remains largely unanswered. Elvis Mboya Namibia is preparing for an oil industry that could change the country’s economy. International companies are spending millions of dollars on exploration. The government is putting policies in place to ensure that Namibians benefit when commercial production begins. But there is a question that deserves more attention: who will actually make money from the oil boom? The business opportunities will extend well beyond drilling. Oil companies need ships, transport, engineering services, equipment, construction, catering, accommodation and hundreds of other supplies. They also need lawyers, accountants, insurers a…