Shell Gas celebrates
“We need to have proper legislation in place that will guide the public and businesses on how we should actually deal with this product,” said managing director Johan Grobbelaar at the first anniversary celebration of Shell Gas in Namibia in Windhoek last Wednesday.
“We are currently working with the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy on the draft legislation, to which we have contributed. It has actually just been referred back to the Electricity Control Board (ECB), and they have asked us to provide our initial input on the draft legislation by the end of August. Hopefully, we can make sure that the legislation is in place by the end of the year,” he said.
According to Grobbelaar, a clear and robust regulatory framework would give all stakeholders a stronger foundation from which to operate safely, responsibly and sustainably.
Shell Gas reached a defining moment in its journey into the Namibian market on 12 August 2025, according to Grobbelaar, referring to the commissioning of its LPG filling plant in Tsumeb and the brand's official launch.
The journey began in 2023 when he approached Triple J Energies regarding its GasIt business. “The acquisition was officially announced on 4 September 2023,” said Grobbelaar. “This was a significant step for Vivo Energy Namibia, making us the first major oil marketer in Namibia to own and operate its own LPG brand,” he said.
“We knew that the opportunity was bigger than simply owning the LPG business,” he elaborated. “We wanted to align our LPG offering with one of the world’s most recognised and trusted energy brands, Shell,” he said.
Growing demand
Grobbelaar, Vivo and Shell are not the only ones anticipating growth in LPG demand in Namibia. Figures reported by TheGlobalEconomy.com for 2024 show demand at 550 barrels per day, up from 540 barrels per day the previous year and 480 barrels per day in 2022. The most recent peak was in 2018, when demand reached 830 barrels per day.
Last year, TheGlobalEconomy.com reported a global country-level average for LPG consumption of between 55 000 and 56 000 barrels per day per country, although huge consumers such as China and the United States skew the average, with consumption levels of almost 2.5 million and more than 1.3 million barrels per day, respectively.
“We are currently progressing with the construction of our Windhoek LPG filling plant, located next to our Vivo Energy fuel depot in Northern Industrial,” Grobbelaar said. He added that “once operational, this facility will significantly strengthen our ability to supply the central and southern parts of the country”.
The company has already created about 35 jobs and made a substantial investment in the business, including acquiring 150 000 new cylinders for distribution into the local market, he said.
By 2027, Shell Gas intends to have a “well-designed and reliable LPG network that can effectively serve our customers across Namibia. This is about building the infrastructure today that will support the growth of Shell Gas tomorrow,” he said.
The LPG that Shell Gas imports from South Africa is sold through hardware and retail partners, as well as at Shell service stations countrywide, adding round-the-clock availability to the convenience, efficiency and versatility of cooking with gas.
Distributors have also been appointed across Namibia to “get Shell Gas from our facilities into communities. Your local knowledge, networks and commitment are helping us build this market,” said Grobbelaar.
Watch a video of excerpts from his speech here: q.my.na/06U2
