By: African energy chamber

Africa Global Logistics (AGL) has invested €40 million in Namibia’s logistics sector over the years, reflecting a commitment to supporting the development of the oil and gas sector. This comes as Namibia moves towards first oil production, backed by large-scale projects in the offshore Orange Basin, and is expected to facilitate future trade and exports.

Speaking at the Wider African Energy Summit in Aberdeen this week – hosted in partnership with the African Energy Chamber – Thomas Bonnetain, O&G Director at AGL, explained that the company is positioning itself as a strategic partner for oil and gas operators, building on its strong presence across Africa’s logistics value chain to support the industry. The investment coincides with a drive to enhance local content development, with AGL prioritizing local capacity building and educational support.

“We have invested €40 million in Namibia to build logistics platforms. This is a country where we have been operating for 25 years. A year and a half ago, we had eight people in the country and today we have more than 100 staff. We have already signed an agreement with a university in Windhoek to create a pool of on-the-ground talent,” Bonnetain shared.

AGL’s collaboration with local universities is a key example of how African logistics operators and companies can support local content development across the continent. Building upon its presence across Africa, the company is investing in workforce training while creating employment opportunities for local communities.

Bonnetain explained that, “We hire locally and teach people how we operate and the way we approach the oil and gas industry. All of our contracts are being handled by local stakeholders. We are doing integrated logistics for Shell’s operations in Gabon. This has created 220 jobs in Port Gentil.”

Ileana Ferber, CEO & Founder, Colibri Business Development, underscored the value of local content development in Africa’s oil and gas sector. She described local content as a “journey and not a process that takes over-night. It takes time to become competitive.”

As such, countries across the continent, particularly emerging oil and gas producers such as Namibia, have to establish clear frameworks with regards to local content. She explained that “it is really important for policies to have targets, which are set on realistic expectations. You need to assess what the state of local suppliers and capabilities are. It’s also important to know whether educational institutions are at the right level and are able to address the demands [of the industry].”

Through structured frameworks and close engagement with private companies, African nations will be well-positioned to advance local content development, unlocking a wealth of economic opportunities for its population.