Within the framework of cooperation between the NIS STC and the Research and Development Centre of the Angolan company Sonangol, which started in 2023 with the visit of Angolan colleagues to NIS, a delegation from our company visited Angola and Namibia.

The main purpose of the visit was to promote the portfolio of services and skills NIS and STC can offer in direct communication with the main stakeholders from the oil industry in Angola and Namibia and to learn more about the conditions and regulatory requirements for the company's entry into the local markets, which is important for assessing company’s further development potential.

The visit resulted in the signing of Memoranda of Cooperation and Confidentiality Agreements with the leading government agencies and industry players of both countries: the Angolan Agency for Oil, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG), the Namibian Ministry of Mining and Energy, as well as NAMCOR, Namibia’s national oil company. This will give the NIS access to data rooms from which it will be able to learn about exploration blocks in these countries. The parties also plan to hold a series of knowledge-sharing seminars with colleagues from Angola and Namibia, and a return visit by a Namibian delegation in autumn.

According to Leonid Stulov, Director of the NIS Science and Technology Centre, this visit is very important for strengthening the reputation of NIS and STC as a reliable service provider to potential partners in this region of Africa:

"The visit to Angola and Namibia was very useful and productive, as it allowed both parties to specify areas for further cooperation. During last year's visit of the Sonangol delegation to NIS and STC, Angolan colleagues were able to see first-hand the high level of our competencies, so now we have come to an agreement to conduct a professional training programme in the field of geology, where our specialists will be able to transfer knowledge and skills to their Angolan colleagues. We have also identified areas of interest for future partnership with both the Angolan and the Namibian side: oil and gas exploration and production projects, analysis of geothermal potential, and application of digital solutions to increase production," Stulov commented.

NIS and STC will continue working on specific cooperation opportunities with Angolan and Namibian partners, including signing new Memoranda of Cooperation and organising seminars to transfer knowledge and experience to Angolan and Namibian colleagues.