Namibia Airports Company chief executive Bisey /Uirab says the country has sufficient fuel capacity to bridge short-term supply constraints.
He says the NAC is mandated to ensure refuelling services at all the country’s airports are always sufficient and available, adding this can only be achieved under favourable circumstances.
/Uirab said this yesterday in light of the ongoing geopolitical tensions linked to the United States-Israel-Iran conflict, which has affected shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
“The NAC, through our stakeholders’ engagement, continuously monitors the availability of Jet A1 and FGas at all our airports. The suppliers and the third-party agents contracted to NAC to supply the airlines both play a significant role in this regard.
“Contractually, fuel suppliers at our airports are required to keep a certain amount of Jet A1 and FGas fuel reserves,” he said.
The NAC’s current suppliers are Central Oil Namibia at Eros and Ya Toivo airports, Puma and Engen Namibia at Hosea Kutako International Airport, and Southern Energy Company at Walvis Bay International Airport, Lüderitz Airport and Katima Mulilo Airport.
“A Boeing 747-800 can hold up to 243 000l of fuel, which gives it a maximum range of 15 000km. Thus, Hosea Kutako International Airport has sufficient capacity to refuel six such Boeings, and with the additional fuel storage capacity at Walvis Bay, the country has sufficient capacity to refuel an additional 21 Boeings.
“Collectively the national jet fuel capacity can accommodate 27 Boeing 747-800s,” the chief executive says.
Earlier in the 2025/26 financial year, Namibia assisted international carriers like Lufthansa and Swiss with refuelling at Hosea Kutako International Airport due to shortages at OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa.
/Uirab says the NAC’s commitment to various regional and international agreements bounds the company to always provide the refuelling service, if and when necessary.
He says airlines and fuel suppliers determine the prices of tickets and fuel, respectively, considering various factors, primarily driven by supply and demand of the Jet A1 and FGas around the world and local environment.
The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (Aasa) issued a warning on Monday about a looming Jet-A1 fuel crisis driven by Southern African Development Community regional shortages and rising costs linked to Middle Eastern conflict, with supply certainty shaky beyond May.
Aasa chief executive Aaron Munetsi says the lack of certainty on fuel supply is now a bigger threat than pricing alone.
He says airlines require certainty on the security of jet fuel supplies beyond a six-week horizon if they are to maintain their schedules and fulfil their obligations to customers.
He warns that the lack of certainty on fuel supply is already being felt in the form of sharply rising prices.
“Jet fuel in southern Africa has more than tripled from about R8.50 a litre in mid-February to more than R30 by mid-April. In landlocked countries such as Malawi, prices have surged beyond R50 a litre,” Munetsi says.
He says that even if the Strait of Hormuz route reopens, recovery will not be immediate.
“Even when the blockades are lifted, it will take months at the very least for fuel production to return to its previous output,” he says.
Aasa has called for transparent, regular updates on fuel stocks.
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