The Petroleum Training and Education Fund (PETROFUND) says it has trained 432 Namibians to date as it moves to strengthen the country’s skills base in the oil and gas sector.
Shoki Kandjimi, CPRP, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Officer at PETROFUND, said the fund will this year take in a new cohort as part of its scholarship programme, which is designed to prepare Namibians for opportunities arising from multiple oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin and ongoing exploration activity.
“The scholarships will equip Namibians with critical expertise ahead of the final investment decisions by petroleum exploration licence holders who made discoveries in recent years,” Kandjimi said.
He added that the initiative is aligned with the National Development Plan Six, which places human capital development, research and innovation at the centre of economic transformation.
“For the 2026 academic year, PETROFUND will prioritise undergraduate studies in the Bachelor of Science in Geosciences and in engineering disciplines such as civil, marine, chemical, electrical, power, industrial and mechanical engineering at universities in the SADC region,” Kandjimi said.
He noted that the fund has also made provision for Namibians to study towards a Diploma in Instrumentation Engineering Technology specialising in oil and gas at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Canada.
The fully funded scholarships will cover a range of postgraduate programmes at both local and international universities, including master’s degrees in petroleum geosciences, exploration geophysics, reservoir evaluation and management, aerospace engineering, drilling engineering and oil and gas law.
According to Kandjimi, eligible undergraduate applicants must be Namibian citizens with excellent passes in mathematics, sciences and English at Grade 12 or Advanced Subsidiary level, with a minimum of 30 points in five subjects. Postgraduate applicants must hold a relevant honours degree with a minimum average of 60%. Beneficiaries are required to work in Namibia after completing their studies.
Kandjimi said PETROFUND has also taken steps to accommodate applicants in rural areas with limited internet access by allowing them to collect and submit forms at constituency or regional council offices.
“PETROFUND urges all eligible Namibians interested in pursuing a career in the oil and gas industry to apply before the deadline,” Kandjimi said. “Our flagship scholarship programme continues to play a vital role in preparing Namibia’s workforce to ensure that the oil and gas industry becomes a catalyst for economic growth, energy security and environmental stewardship.”
