Puma Energy Namibia says it will establish five service stations in rural areas within the country as a form of bringing services closer to the people and expanding its business.
Puma’s General Manager Adell Samuelson said the company will be reviving and upgrading rural service stations with the view of improving their offerings.
“Puma Energy Namibia is following in the footsteps of Puma Energy Zambia, where the first mobile filling station was opened in a rural area around August 2023. Therefore, this direct investment is aimed at stimulating development and growth, in far-flung areas. It further echoes the company’s purpose of energising the communities,” said Samuelson.
“We are now looking at the constraints such as the tanks for unleaded petrol that should be underground as per the Ministry of Mines and Energy regulations. Of most importance, is to ensure that these sites make business sense in terms of return on investments. There might be three such rural service stations, while two will be revived.”
Samuelson said the company is also targeting rural areas as part of the existing moratorium on issuing licences for new service stations in urban areas.
Puma is constructing Lube Bays at Kuisebmond, Walvis Bay and Soweto Market, Windhoek, where it aims to offer free engine oil, coolant and battery water level check-ups as part of further efforts to diversify service delivery.
These will be completed and operationalised before the end of this first quarter.
In addition, Samuelson said the company has partnered with Woermann Brock and Hungry Lion at its various retail sites across the country.
Before, Puma Energy Namibia had a partnership with OK Franchise, of which the existing retail stores will continue to operate as the new deal won’t have an effect, said Samuelson.
Puma further plans to install a free WiFi network at 10 sites in the first phase, with all 60 sites targeted by year-end.
“This will serve as a pilot project to test this free offering to customers. The plan is to extend the service to all 60 Puma Energy Namibia sites by the end of 2024,” she said.
Puma Energy operates in 15 countries and has a retail network of 687 outlets. In terms of fuel supply for vehicles, it has 1,946 sites and 108 aviation fuel at airports.
In Namibia, Puma supplies aviation fuel at Ondangwa, Eros and Hosea Kutako International Airport. –https://miningandenergy.com.na/
