A feature in Forbes Namibia Africa Undiscovered Series Aug/Sept 2025 Edition
Namibia’s energy transition depends on a workforce ready to lead, build, and export expertise.
Namibia is on the cusp of a new economic chapter. Oil discoveries, green hydrogen, and solar energy projects promise growth, but technology alone won’t unlock it. The key lies with Namibians who have the skills to build, maintain, and lead these industries. Without upskilling, the nation’s foundation would be incomplete. “We want to provide companies with people and skills that are required,” says Viren Sookhun, Managing Director at Workforce Staffing Namibia. “Our focus has always been to help people move up the ladder. Even if someone starts as a labourer, with training and upskilling, they are at least one level higher by the end of a project.” Every project becomes a chance to strengthen human capacity alongside infrastructure.
Namibia’s youth, who make up 71% of the population, are eager to seize that chance. What they need is a system that opens doors. “There’s a perception that no skills exist. While skills are scarce, if you look hard enough, the people are here. They’ve simply been repurposed because there were no opportunities,” says Julien Karambua, Country Manager at Workforce Staffing Namibia. Local content policies are pushing this agenda, requiring investors to pair capital with capacity building. “There’s a balance between attracting investment and stimulating the local economy,” says Sookhun. “Setting up component manufacturing and building facilities here creates employment, stimulates GDP, and creates a value chain rooted in Namibia.”
The future lies in building expertise from within. Beyond filling vacancies, upskilling creates lasting competence that strengthens the economy for generations. “We focus on proper skills transfer, usually over two years,” says Sookhun. “It is not just pairing a European expert with a Namibian but creating a measurable program that builds lasting capacity. Our goal is to close the skills gap so Namibians can be self-sufficient, export their skills, and strengthen the economy.” Namibia can achieve more than meeting its own needs. It has the potential to become a source of skilled talent for the region. “Once we close the skills gap, the excess skills can move into the export of skills,” says Sookhun. Trained Namibians could become one of the country’s most valuable exports. Digital literacy is also part of this future. “Digital literacy is another area of investment,” says Emilia Nghikembua, CEO of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia. “Closing the gap between high internet coverage and low usage can improve lives and create new economic opportunities.” Leadership plays a vital role in realizing this vision. “We need to unlock potential so that people believe in their own abilities. Unlocking potential and applying skills must go hand in hand. Knowledge without action leads nowhere,” says Dawie Fourie, Founder of the African Leadership Institute.
For Namibia to succeed, investors, companies, and policymakers must align, ensuring that as the nation grows, its people grow with it. The future won’t be built by machines or policies alone. It will be built by Namibians with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time.
