Petrofund's new scholarship to boost Namibian youth in the oil and gas sector
Namibia’s Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund)'s flagship scholarship programme was launched at the 2nd Youth in Oil and Gas Summit last week.
Image source: Freepik
The new scholarship complements the Namibian government’s free tertiary education policy by fully funding undergraduate and postgraduate students in engineering, geosciences, paramedics and technical vocational training disciplines relevant to upstream oil and gas operations. Courses will be offered at accredited institutions across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and internationally.
In addition to its flagship scholarship programme, Petrofund has introduced several strategic initiatives to accelerate youth integration into Namibia’s oil and gas industry. Through its expanded on-the-job training programme, more than 82 young professionals have been deployed across various technical roles in collaboration with premier service and operating companies including TechnipFMC, SBM, Subsea 7, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, SLB, BW Energy, Shell, ReconAfrica, TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy.
Petrofund has also signed 10 memoranda of understanding to deepen these partnerships and enhance practical industry exposure. Additionally, the government-led fund is developing a national oil and gas CV repository – set to launch in Q4 2025 – to bridge the gap between skilled graduates and industry demand.
Strengthening collaboration
Petrofund is also strengthening its collaboration with Namibian institutions of higher learning. Partners include the Namibia University of Science and Technology and University of Namibia, along with regulatory authorities such as the Namibia Qualifications Authority; National Council for Higher Education; Namibia Training Authority; and Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Art and Culture.
This initiative aims to introduce and accredit more oil and gas-related programmes locally, enhancing access to technical education aligned with global industry standards. To date, Petrofund has invested over N$115m to support 438 Namibians in petroleum-related studies, achieving a 90% internship and employment placement rate for its Master’s level beneficiaries.
“Petrofund is setting the standard for what youth empowerment in Africa’s energy sector should look like. By aligning skills development with industry demand and embracing inclusivity, Namibia is not just preparing its young people for jobs – it’s preparing them for leadership. The Chamber fully supports these efforts, which will ensure that Namibians are not just bystanders, but key drivers of their energy future,” states NJ Ayuk, executive chairman, African Energy Chamber.