• NAMCOR has appointed Mtundeni Ndafyaalako as acting managing director starting March 1.

• He becomes the sixth leader to head the national oil company since April 2023.

• The appointment comes as offshore exploration accelerates in Namibia’s Orange Basin.

Namibia’s state oil company, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR), has appointed Mtundeni Ndafyaalako as acting managing director, according to local media reports published Monday, March 2 citing the company.

Ndafyaalako took office on March 1, 2026, succeeding Maureen Hinda-Mbuende, whose interim mandate ended on February 28.

Before this appointment, Ndafyaalako served as executive director for upstream development and production. In that role, he oversaw NAMCOR’s participation in oil exploration and development projects, as well as the company’s strategy to acquire producing assets aimed at generating revenue for the Namibian state.

He joined NAMCOR in 2018 as a specialist in geosciences applied to oil exploration. Over the years, he held several positions within the company, including roles focused on identifying and acquiring new oil assets before being promoted to lead upstream development and production activities.

According to industry publication Upstream Online, the appointment comes amid repeated leadership changes at the national oil company. Ndafyaalako becomes the sixth executive to hold the top position since April 2023.

The transition comes as Namibia is experiencing a surge in offshore oil exploration, particularly in the Orange Basin. Several major discoveries have been made there in recent years by international energy companies including TotalEnergies, Shell and Galp.

NAMCOR plays a central role in managing the government’s stakes in these projects. The state oil company typically holds about a 10% interest in oil licenses.

In many cases, that stake takes the form of a “carried interest,” meaning foreign operators cover the exploration and development costs. In return, NAMCOR represents the government’s interests in the projects and stands to receive a share of revenues if commercial production begins.

Namibia is targeting its first oil production between 2029 and 2030, most likely from the Venus project, operated by TotalEnergies in Block 2913B in the Orange Basin.

Abdel-Latif Boureima