Katti: Architect of Namibia’s oil boom
The emergence of Namibia as one of the world’s most closely watched oil and gas frontiers was no historical accident. Long before the arrival of the supermajors and the announcement of billion-dollar discoveries, a small group of local pioneers sought to position the country as a serious player in global energy markets. Among them, Knowledge Katti stands out for the scale of his ambition and the lasting imprint of his work.
Today, Knowledge Katti serves as Chairman and CEO of Custos Energy and as a Director at Sintana Energy. These roles place him at the heart of Namibia’s ongoing exploration story, including several of the country’s most significant recent offshore developments.
From auditing to ownership
Katti’s entry into the energy sector was unconventional. He began his career at PwC (formerly Coopers & Lybrand), where he audited some of Namibia’s industrial giants, including Rössing Uranium. It was here that he developed a critical understanding of ownership structures, and a growing sense of unease. While Namibia’s resources were generating significant value, that wealth was largely accruing to foreign shareholders rather than Namibians.
That realisation became a defining driver. From the outset, Katti focused on equity rather than mere participation. He argued that if the country were to fully benefit from its natural wealth, Namibians required a direct stake in the resources themselves.
His early efforts to enter the sector were met with resistance. At the time, local players were frequently told they required foreign partners before they could secure licences. Meanwhile, junior firms from Canada and Australia were acquiring licences first and raising capital later. Katti challenged this model, advocating for a system that allowed Namibians to lead projects from their inception.
Breaking the offshore barrier
A turning point arrived in the mid-2000s when he shifted his focus offshore. Drawing on extensive research into the Kudu Gas Field and the broader Orange Basin, Katti presented a development vision to Namibia’s ministry of industries, mines and energy, and the national oil company, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR). His efforts resulted in the award of an offshore licence adjacent to the Kudu field, a breakthrough for indigenous participation in the upstream sector.
To finance this vision, Katti took a step few had attempted: accessing international capital markets. By listing his company on the Toronto Stock Exchange through a reverse takeover, forming UNX Energy, he helped establish one of the first Namibian-led, internationally listed oil and gas firms. While early drilling campaigns did not deliver commercial success, the experience laid the groundwork for the current boom.
A framework for the future
Equally significant was Katti’s role in shaping Namibia’s approach to resource governance. He was an early and vocal advocate for ensuring the state, through NAMCOR, held meaningful equity in oil and gas projects. This approach helped secure a substantial national position in the Kudu Gas Field and set a precedent for embedding national participation into the structure of future deals.
As the scale of the offshore opportunity became clearer, Katti adapted his strategy. Rather than pursuing development in isolation, he focused on attracting global partners with the technical and financial capacity to unlock Namibia’s deepwater potential. Through sustained dealmaking, he played a catalytic role in bringing companies such as Shell, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Galp into Namibian waters.
“Knowledge Katti’s strategy of prioritising local ownership while attracting top-tier global partners has been transformative,” said Njock Ayuk Eyong, the executive ehairman of the African Energy Chamber. “It has unlocked significant inflows of international capital and expertise, leading to major discoveries that have repositioned Namibia on the global stage.”
Investing in human capital
Beyond transactions and policy, Katti has invested in Namibia’s people. Over the years, he has supported the education of more than 120 Namibian students, reflecting a belief that the country’s energy future must be built on local expertise as much as natural resources.
As Namibia enters a new phase of development, marked by large-scale discoveries and surging investor interest, the foundations laid over the last two decades are becoming increasingly visible. The country’s emphasis on local participation and its ability to attract global giants reflect a vision that has been years in the making.
Katti’s contribution lies not only in individual deals, but in helping to shape the framework through which Namibia’s energy sector now operates. In doing so, he has ensured the country is not merely a destination for investment, but an active participant in its own energy future.
