Namibia’s proposed amendment to the Petroleum Act passed its second reading in the National Assembly on the night of Tuesday, 20 October, one week after opposition lawmakers walked out of the debate in protest against the current version of the bill.

The proposed legislation provides for the creation of a new regulatory authority to be housed within the presidential office. According to Reuters, the bill has sparked intense debate among the public, opposition parties, and analysts, who fear it would strip essential oversight powers from existing institutions and concentrate control over the country’s energy sector in the hands of the presidency.

The presidency has rejected these concerns, arguing that the measure will accelerate decision-making and that the bill contains adequate checks and balances.

The initiative is seen as a significant test for President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who has championed the reform as one of the pillars of her regulatory agenda since taking office.

The bill will now proceed to parliamentary committees for a clause-by-clause review before returning to the National Assembly for a final vote.

“The decision to create a small ministry of mines and energy within the presidency is a wrong and undemocratic move,” Immanuel Nashinge, parliamentary leader of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) — the main opposition party — told Reuters. Nashinge helped lead the walkout from the debate the previous week.

Opposition lawmakers also criticised the manner in which the process has unfolded, noting that leadership structures responsible for oil exploration and production are already operating without a formal legal framework in place.

The ruling party holds a slim majority in the National Assembly, with 51 of 96 seats, and is divided by internal factions ahead of an elective conference scheduled for next year. Analysts say these circumstances make a smooth passage of the bill uncertain.

“Namibia’s oil future must be built on transparency, accountability, and strong institutions — not political control and hasty decisions,” said Ndumba Kamwanyah, an independent political analyst.

Namibia, one of the world’s leading frontier oil exploration destinations, aims to begin its first oil production around 2030.