Windhoek, Namibia, Jan. 30, 2026 (Lusa) - Representatives of Portuguese energy company, Galp and TotalEnergies met on Friday with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to reaffirm their long-term commitment to the country and update the Government on their deepwater offshore oil projects.
Galp's chairwoman Paula Amorim and TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné met with the Head of State following the agreement signed on 9 December, which redefined stakes and responsibilities in the main licences in the Orange Basin off the coast of Namibia.
Under this agreement, the French oil company took over the operation of Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) 83, where the Mopane discoveries are located, while Galp strengthened its presence in PEL 56 and PEL 91 licences, associated with the Venus discovery, both operated by the French multinational.
Specifically, the Portuguese oil company announced that it had ceded 40% of its stake in PEL 83 in exchange for a 10% stake in PEL 56 and 9.4% in PEL 91, with TotalEnergies now leading the development of the Mopane area.
Today's meeting marked the first high-level presidential meeting since the formalisation of the partnership, with the companies presenting an update on the status of the transaction and the operator transition process, as well as the next steps planned for the two projects.
During the meeting, Galp and TotalEnergies highlighted the expected impacts of the partnership in terms of employment, skills development and local industry, while also emphasising the importance of a stable regulatory framework to ensure the efficient execution of the next phases of the projects, according to a joint statement.
In the Venus project, whose development concept has been defined, the partners are working to ensure all the necessary conditions for a potential final investment decision in 2026.
In the Mopane project, an exploration and evaluation campaign with three wells is also planned for 2026, with the aim of deepening knowledge of the resources and advancing the project to the development phase.
"Our partnership with Galp represents an important milestone at a time when Namibia is preparing to become a major energy-producing nation. Together, we are committed to developing the country's deepwater potential in a responsible and efficient manner, creating lasting value for Namibia and all stakeholders," said Patrick Pouyanné.
Paula Amorim, in turn, highlighted that "strong partnerships are a central pillar of Galp's growth strategy," adding that "the Mopane discoveries represent a transformational opportunity and, with a global deepwater leader such as TotalEnergies on board, we can be sure that these resources will be developed efficiently and sustainably, for the benefit of Namibia and all stakeholders."
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