BOARDROOM & BEYOND
Pancontinental advances PEL 87 offshore Namibia project.
The ministry of industries, mines and energy has accepted amendments to Australian oil and gas exploration company, Pancontinental's petroleum exploration licence 87 petroleum agreement, clearing the way for the formal signing of a one-year extension to January 2027.
The company will now focus on reprocessing its 3D seismic data, a condition of the extension, while continuing confidential discussions with potential farm-in partners to support the next major milestone, drilling an exploration well.
The update signals continued momentum in Namibia's offshore oil and gas sector, where operators remain focused on de-risking prospects before committing to expensive drilling campaigns.
CRAN names new economics manager
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has appointed Bridget Ellen Dundee as Manager: Economics and Market Development, effective 6 July 2026.
Dundee brings more than 10 years' experience in industrial economics, regulation and market research. She will lead economic and market analysis to support regulatory decision-making, monitor competition and promote fair market access in Namibia's communications sector.
She joins CRAN from the United Nations World Food Programme, having previously served as Director: Economics and Sector Research at the Namibian Competition Commission.
Parliament keeps tabs on Hyphen’s path to FID
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has concluded its oversight visit to Hyphen Hydrogen Energy’s operations in the //Kharas Region, signaling intensified legislative focus on the project's execution.
Key discussions centered on Hyphen’s trajectory toward the Final Investment Decision (FID) and the environmental frameworks guiding development. For the local business community, the critical focus remains on local content, specifically how this world-scale project will secure tangible infrastructure, jobs, and sustainable skills transfer within our borders.
NamRA tax amnesty ends in October
Taxpayers who register as e-filers on ITAS, submit all outstanding returns and pay the capital amount owed will have interest and penalties automatically written off.
The programme is a chance for businesses and individuals to clear historic tax debt without the added cost of accumulated interest and penalties, but only the capital sum needs to be settled before the deadline.
Enquiries: [email protected] or NamRA's call centre on 081 959 4000.
China eyes Namibian grapes
The ministry of agriculture and China's General Administration of Customs have signed a protocol setting out the phytosanitary requirements for exporting fresh Namibian table grapes to China.
The deal, signed on 10 July, gives Namibian grape producers a route into the Chinese market, provided they meet China's health, safety and quarantine standards. Grapes must be free of pests of concern to China and of soil contamination.
The protocol covers orchard management and registration, packing houses, cold-treatment facilities, pest control, packaging, traceability, and pre-export and entry inspections. Namibia's ministry will manage registration and quality control, while Chinese customs will check compliance at entry.
