28/08/2026
Today, the NTA and the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO) signed an MoU at the British Embassy in Madrid, Spain, establishing a strategic partnership to strengthen skills development and workforce capability in Namibia. The partnership brings together our national mandate for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with OPITO’s international expertise in safety, skills and competence standards for the global energy industry. OPITO currently operates through a global network of 240 approved centres across more than 50 countries, with approximately 500,000 people trained to its standards annually.
A key focus will be working towards the development of the Keetmanshoop Vocational Training Centre - KVTC as an OPITO-approved oil and gas training centre. This will help expand access to internationally recognised training here at home, while strengthening Namibia’s institutional capacity, technical expertise and safety standards.
The agreement comes at an important moment. As Namibia’s petroleum industry develops, national attention is increasingly turning towards ensuring that Namibians have the skills and capabilities required to participate meaningfully in the opportunities it creates. This is also consistent with broader national efforts to strengthen local participation and human-capital development in the upstream petroleum sector.
Speaking on behalf of NTA CEO, Mr Erickson Fundula Nenghwanya, our Chief Financial Officer, Ms Claretta Gamses, emphasised that the partnership is about ensuring that Namibia’s workforce is prepared to participate meaningfully in emerging economic opportunities. She further committed the NTA to translating the MoU into tangible outcomes through clear priorities, responsibilities, timelines and measurable progress. OPITO CEO, Mr Stephen Marcos Jones, similarly described the agreement as an investment in Namibia’s workforce and its long-term economic future, emphasising solutions that are locally owned, delivered through Namibian institutions and aligned with national priorities.
A working committee will guide implementation as the partners move towards stronger institutions, internationally relevant skills, expanded employment pathways and a safe, competent and globally competitive Namibian energy workforce.