TIRI MASAWI
The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) Chief Executive Andrew Kanime has played down allegations of mishandling and potential corruption in the tendering process of the N$3 billion Lüderitz Oil Supply Base raised by Independent Patriots for Change President Panduleni Itula this week.
The tender to build the oil supply on a Design, Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (DBOOT) tender was unceremoniously cancelled last year -a move Itula suggests was necessitated to favour political interest at the expense of transparency.
“In August 2025, Namport issued an open DBOOT tender for the Lüderitz oil supply base with strict pre-qualification criteria. Days later, the tender was cancelled. No public explanation. The announcement was removed from social media. Reuters reported the cancellation internationally,” Itula said.
Itula added that Namport were neither transparent nor accountable in the manner they handled the tender .According to Itula Namport was railroaded by political influence from the ruling elite to shift goal posts and favour politically exposed individuals.
In response Kanime said an important consideration to cancelling the tender was the clear indication of public and stakeholder confusion and misalignment regarding this DBOOT oil and gas project and the planned expansion of Namport’s
“Impact Assessment study was underway at the time which study specifically
included a heritage impact assessment study on Shark Island. As a result of this misunderstanding, environmental concerns pertaining to the non- oil and gas project were incorrectly attributed to the DBOOT oil and gas project.
“Hence, Namport deemed it most appropriate to first clear up these misconceptions and decided to cancel the DBOOT tender in order not to unduly compromise and possibly delay the DBOOT oil and gas project through environmental related challenges from stakeholders and local communities,” Kanime said.
Kanime said it was unfortunate that Itual claimed the tender was cancelled without ample explanation despite the company communicating its reasoning.
According to Kanime there is nothing amiss about their partnership with Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA).
He said NIDA was courted on the basis of its mandate as a state institution tasked with overseeing the country’s industrialisation drive.
“A considered decision was taken that Namport and NIDA would constitute a formidable partnership towards the development of the oil and gas supply base at the Port of Luderitz and the realization of the country’s economic development and local beneficiation goals. Importantly, the different but significantly complementary mandates of the two institutions would only maximise the benefits which stand to be generated from this partnership,” Kanime said.
Kamini added that Namport and NIDA will jointly procure a development partner for the oil and gas supply base at the Port of Luderitz in a competitive manner based on the choice of legislated procurement methods deemed appropriate.
“Therefore, the assertion in the IPC press release that NIDA was brought onboard to bypass Namport’s procurement process, is incorrect and there is nothing untoward nor underhand in the collaboration between two state institutions, Namport and NIDA to jointly develop the oil and gas supply base,” he said.
Kanime also added that there is no substance in the allegation that Tradeport is involved in oil and gas activities at the Port as suggested by Itula.
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