At the centre of monitoring and regulating Namibia’s fuel security and fuel quality is the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, which is mandated to ensure every litre of petrol and diesel imported, stored and sold in the country meets national quality standards. Moses Pakote (MP), the ministry’s executive director, explained to New Era’s Head of Business, Edgar Brandt (EB), that Namibia relies on licensing controls, border enforcement, inspection, sampling, record audits, and inter-agency cooperation to ensure fuel quality and prevent smuggled Angolan fuel from entering the retail system.
Pakote emphasised that the ministry’s inspectors conduct routine and random fuel sampling at ports of entry, bulk storage depots, distribution terminals and retail service stations, consistently ensuring Namibia’s fuel standards are upheld.
EB: Which public entity is responsible for ensuring the quality of fuel being imported into Namibia?
MP: The public entity responsible for ensuring the quality of fuel being imported into Namibia is the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy (MIME). Under the Petroleum Products and Energy Act, 1990 and its regulations, the ministry has legal authority to regulate petroleum products, including fuel quality; to monitor compliance; to inspect fuel facilities; and to enforce standards for imported and locally distributed fuel.
The ministry is the primary regulator responsible for downstream petroleum activities, including monitoring and enforcing fuel quality standards for all imported petroleum products. This includes ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and licensing requirements for fuel importers and distributors.
Approved inspectors and controllers: The minister may appoint controllers and inspectors to conduct inspections, sampling, and enforcement activities under the Petroleum Products and Energy Act. These inspectors help ensure that imported fuel meets required specifications and standards.
Namibian Standards Institution (NSI): While not the regulatory authority for import enforcement, the NSI develops and publishes national standards, including those related to fuel quality, which support regulatory enforcement by the ministry.
In practice, the ministry, through its inspectorate and regulatory functions, ensures imported fuel complies with legal specifications before it enters the market.
EB: What are the roles of fuel inspectors in the ministry?
MP: Fuel inspectors within the ministry play a critical regulatory and enforcement role in ensuring compliance with the Petroleum Products and Energy Act, 1990 (Act 13 of 1 990) and its regulations.
Their key roles include:
Monitoring fuel quality
Conducting routine and random sampling of fuel at ports of entry, storage depots, distribution terminals, and retail service stations. Ensuring that petroleum products meet prescribed national fuel specifications (e.g., sulfur content, octane rating, density, flash point). Coordinating laboratory testing of fuel samples.
Inspection of facilities
• Inspecting fuel storage facilities, tank farms, and service stations to verify compliance with safety, environmental, and technical standards.
• Ensuring proper storage and handling practices to prevent contamination or adulteration.
Enforcement of legislation
• Enforcing compliance with the Petroleum Products and Energy Act and related regulations.
• Issuing compliance notices where irregularities are identified.
• Recommending penalties, product seizure, suspension, or cancellation of licenses in cases of non-compliance.
Verification of licensing compliance
• Ensuring that fuel importers, wholesalers, and retailers operate with valid licenses.
• Monitoring adherence to conditions attached to petroleum licenses.
Investigation of complaints
• Investigating consumer complaints related to fuel quality or suspected adulteration.
• Conducting follow-up inspections where non-compliance is reported.
Reporting and advisory role
•Preparing inspection reports and compliance assessments for the ministry. Advising the minister or relevant authorities on enforcement actions and policy improvements.
Preventing fuel adulteration and illegal activities
• Detecting and preventing the sale of contaminated, diluted, or illegally imported fuel.
• Working with other enforcement agencies (e.g., customs, police) where necessary.
In summary, fuel inspectors serve as the ministry’s frontline enforcement officers, ensuring that fuel imported, stored, distributed, and sold in Namibia meets prescribed quality and safety standards, thereby protecting consumers, vehicles, and the environment.
EB:: What mechanisms are in place, if any, to ensure smuggled Angolan fuel does not make it into Namibia’s fuel retail system?
MP: Several mechanisms are in place to prevent smuggled Angolan fuel from entering Namibia’s formal fuel retail system. These include:
Licensing and supply chain control
All fuel importers, wholesalers, and retailers must be licensed under the Petroleum Products and Energy Act, 1990. Retail service stations are required to procure fuel only from approved and licensed wholesalers. This controlled supply chain limits opportunities for illegally sourced fuel to enter the formal market.
Border control and customs enforcement
The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), together with border control authorities and law enforcement agencies, monitors fuel imports at official entry points. Fuel entering the country must be properly declared, taxed, and supported by valid documentation. Undeclared or illicit fuel is subject to seizure.
Fuel Quality Inspections and Sampling
fuel inspectors from the ministry conduct routine and random sampling at:
• Border entry points
• Bulk storage facilities
• Distribution depots
• Retail service stations
Laboratory testing can detect non-compliant or off-specification fuel, which may indicate illegal sourcing.
Monitoring of fuel specifications
Namibia has prescribed fuel specifications (e.g., sulfur content and other technical parameters). If smuggled fuel does not meet these standards, it can be identified during compliance testing.
Stock reconciliation and record audits
Licensed operators are required to maintain records of fuel volumes purchased and sold. Inspectors may conduct audits and stock reconciliations to identify unexplained discrepancies that could indicate illegal fuel supply.
Enforcement and penalties – Where illegal fuel is detected:
• The product may be seized.
• Licenses may be suspended or revoked.
• Fines or criminal charges may be imposed.
Inter-agency collaboration
The ministry works with:
• NamRA (Customs & Excise)
• Namibian Police
• Border security authorities
This coordinated approach strengthens surveillance and enforcement, particularly in border regions.
EB: Where is the smuggled Angolan fuel currently stored (and are these storage facilities adequate)?
MP: Current Storage Locations of Smuggled Fuels
Traditional homesteads and informal sites near the Angola-Namibia border Investigations and reports indicate that smugglers frequently store fuel at traditional homesteads and informal locations along the northern border, especially in the Ohangwena and Oshikango areas. These locations are used as temporary storage and resale points before distribution into the local informal market.
Various police stations (confiscated fuel) fuel seized by law enforcement during anti-smuggling operations has, at times, been stored at various police stations in northern Namibia. However, this arrangement has been flagged as a serious safety hazard, given that police facilities are not designed for bulk fuel storage.
Adequacy and storage facilities safety
Informal storage sites: The use of homesteads, private homes, and informal stalls as storage points is highly inadequate from a safety and regulatory standpoint. These sites typically lack: Proper fuel tanks or bunded storage areas, fire suppression systems, environmental spill protection, and regulatory oversight.
This increases the risk of fires, spills, environmental contamination, and accidents.
Police stations as holding areas: Storing confiscated fuel at standard police stations is unsafe and inappropriate because these facilities are not equipped to handle large quantities of flammable liquids. This has been publicly acknowledged as a hazard to personnel and surrounding communities.
Key concerns
Safety risks: Both informal storage at homesteads and holding fuel at police compounds pose serious fire and explosion risks, endangering lives and property.
Regulatory gaps: There is currently no publicly reported, robust system for the secure interim storage of confiscated fuel in qualified facilities, such as regulated bonded fuel depots or specially zoned storage sites, pending legal proceedings.
Border control limitations: The porous border and lack of a continuous security fence make it difficult for law enforcement to control smuggling points effectively, contributing to the proliferation of informal storage spots.
Government agencies that benefit from fuel levies and taxes are experiencing revenue losses because of “ngungula” illegal fuel activities. Since this fuel enters the country unlawfully, it bypasses official import channels and is not subject to the prescribed fuel levies and taxes. This results in significant revenue leakages to the State.
Legitimate fuel retailers and wholesalers in affected areas face financial losses due to competition with illegally imported fuel. These activities distort the market, undermine fair competition, and harm compliant businesses in the formal fuel supply chain.
The ministry has taken several measures to ensure that confiscated Ngungula fuel is stored safely and in a manner that protects both public safety and the environment.
The ministry installed aboveground fuel tanks at police stations in affected regions, offering a safer alternative to ad hoc storage, reducing spills, fire hazards, and environmental risks.
The ministry has allocated funds to purchase additional storage tanks to address capacity issues caused by rising confiscations and enhance safety.
The ministry has arranged with WESCO, licensed in Namibia to handle used oil and petroleum waste, to manage and dispose of confiscated fuel environmentally. This ensures seized fuel is treated, recycled, or disposed of per national environmental and safety rules.
The ministry continues assessing and developing strategies for handling, storing, and disposing of confiscated illegal fuel, focusing on environmental protection, safety, and compliance.