Dangote Walvis Bay Environmental Clearance: Still Pending After Groundbreaking

• Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote's N$41-billion fuel terminal project in Walvis Bay held its groundbreaking ceremony.
• The project, located on 70 hectares of Farm 58, still lacks an environmental clearance certificate a week after the ceremony, with actual construction awaiting environmental clearance.
• President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced her office would closely supervise the Dangote fuel terminal Namibia project.
• Excel Dynamic Solutions, the appointed environmental assessor, confirmed the environmental permit is still pending.

The fact that the environmental clearance certificate is still being awaited, despite this presidential involvement and the project's groundbreaking, underscores the stringent regulatory environment for major infrastructure initiatives in Namibia.

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote's ambitious N$41-billion fuel storage terminal and pipeline project in Walvis Bay has commenced its physical development, marked by a recent groundbreaking ceremony. This significant event saw the personal attendance of Aliko Dangote himself, alongside Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, underscoring the project's high profile and the substantial investment it represents for the region. The Dangote Group initiated the groundbreaking on a 70-hectare parcel of land, specifically Farm 58, situated to the east of Walvis Bay.

However, a crucial environmental clearance certificate for the facility remains outstanding, a full week after the project's groundbreaking ceremony, with actual construction awaiting the necessary environmental clearance. The continued absence of the necessary environmental permit introduces a notable regulatory wrinkle into the early stages of this substantial infrastructure development, raising questions about the sequence of approvals for such a large-scale undertaking.

The delay in securing the environmental clearance certificate is a key point of attention for the Dangote fuel terminal Namibia project. This vital permit is a prerequisite for large-scale developments, ensuring adherence to national environmental standards. The process for obtaining such a permit typically involves detailed assessments of potential impacts and proposed mitigation strategies, which must then be reviewed and approved by relevant authorities.

Excel Dynamic Solutions (EDS), an independent environmental assessment company, was specifically appointed to evaluate the proposed facility on Walvis Bay Farm 58. EDS has officially confirmed to The Namibian that the environmental clearance certificate for the project is still pending. This confirmation highlights the ongoing nature of the regulatory process, even as physical work has begun, emphasizing the critical role of environmental compliance in major industrial undertakings within the region.

The N$41-billion Dangote fuel terminal in Walvis Bay is not only a massive private investment but also subject to direct governmental oversight, a factor that amplifies the significance of its regulatory compliance. During the groundbreaking ceremony, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah publicly declared that the entire project would fall under the direct supervision of her office. This announcement, indicating high-level Nandi-Ndaitwah Dangote project supervision, signals the strategic importance the Namibian government places on this development, while also suggesting an elevated level of scrutiny for its execution and adherence to all national requirements.

The fact that the environmental clearance certificate is still being awaited, despite this presidential involvement and the project's groundbreaking, underscores the stringent regulatory environment for major infrastructure initiatives in Namibia. It highlights that even projects with significant economic backing and political support must meticulously navigate the established legal frameworks, particularly concerning environmental protection, before proceeding with physical construction. This situation reinforces the necessity for all necessary environmental permits to be firmly in place before any construction commences, regardless of the project's scale or prominence, to avoid potential future complications.

Lawyers advising clients on large-scale infrastructure projects in Namibia should note the heightened regulatory scrutiny, exemplified by the President's direct supervision of the Dangote project. This indicates that obtaining all necessary environmental clearances *before* groundbreaking remains critical, and delays can occur even for high-profile investments, potentially impacting project timelines and increasing compliance risks.

Source: Original reporting via The Namibian