The transformation project for Lüderitz, driven by nearby green hydrogen and oil and gas developments, is progressing well as planned, despite a delay in the approval of the boundary extension application.

The government has allocated N$92 million in the current financial year for the transformation project, anticipating that the new hydrogen and oil and gas industries will play a major role in the economic growth of the southern town.

Elwin !Goaseb, spokesperson for the Lüderitz Town Council, shared that the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development delayed the boundary extension application because the proposed land for the extension had not yet been demarcated or surveyed.

"This is causing uncertainty regarding the timeline for delivery," he said. "I want to assure investors and our residents that we will do everything in our power as a town council to expedite this process so it does not cause delays, and that we are prepared for oil and gas by 2028." !Goaseb further explained that the transformation project has two components: 

"Firstly, we aim to revamp, upgrade, and re-engineer our current civil works. Secondly, we are looking at expanding into the additional 290 hectares that we have requested from the government. So far, we have issued bids early in the year, and we are currently in the adjudication process. Some bids have been awarded, while others are still pending. These initiatives are primarily focused on soft planning in line with our vision to become the premier industrial and logistics hub in the country, and we want the associated works to align with this vision."

The public relations officer also noted that Lüderitz's ageing bulk service infrastructure was not designed to accommodate the town's current population.

According to the latest Namibia 2023 Population and Housing Census Report released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), the population of the southern coastal town stands at 16,125.