Windhoek Observer – Page 2 – Windhoek Observer

28 Apr

Nedbank strengthens Lüderitz presence amid southern corridor growth

Observer Money

Staff Writer Nedbank Namibia has increased its investment in Lüderitz as the southern coastal town gains importance due to planned growth in energy, logistics and export industries. The bank recently unveiled its upgraded Lüderitz branch under its nationwide project imagine modernisation programme. The upgrade aims to improve banking infrastructure and client services in areas expected to see more commercial activity. Lüderitz is being positioned as a key industrial hub following developments linked to offshore oil and gas, green hydrogen and logistics centred around the Port of Lüderitz. Plans to expand the port at Angra Point, supported by international partners including…

28 Apr

Workshop draws 200 as SMEs eye oil and gas opportunities

Observer Money

Staff Writer More than 200 delegates gathered in Windhoek this week for the upstream oil and gas suppliers’ workshop, a two-day event aimed at helping Namibian small and medium-sized enterprises take part in the country’s growing upstream petroleum sector. The workshop was hosted by FNB Namibia, RMB Namibia, Petrofund and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board. It brought together stakeholders from the financial sector, government, local businesses and international oil and gas operators and service providers. The event focused on helping SMEs understand Namibia’s upstream oil and gas industry while creating space for networking, supplier development and engagement across…

28 Apr

Largest blue-green diamond gets a US$13M price tag at Christie’s

Observer Money

Christie’s will offer the Ocean Dream, the largest existing blue-green diamond, at its upcoming Geneva jewellery sale, expecting it will fetch up to CHF 10 million (US$12.8 million). Set in a ring, the triangular-cut, 5.50-carat, fancy-vivid-blue-green, SI1-clarity, type IIa stone comes with an additional mount containing sculpted rock crystal, round diamonds and pink diamonds, Christie’s said Friday. The polished stone, the largest vivid-blue-green diamond the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever certified, originated from an 11.70-carat rough found in Central Africa. The May 13 Magnificent Jewels sale is only the second time the Ocean Dream has appeared at auction.…

28 Apr

Wellbeing at work: A shared responsibility

Observer Money

Sonja van Kradenburg The future of work in Namibia will not be defined solely by technology or efficiency, but by the well-being of the people who make organisations thrive. Health and safety are no longer peripheral considerations; they are central to resilience, innovation, and trust. When leaders recognise that wellbeing is inseparable from performance, they begin to see safety and health not as compliance measures but as strategic imperatives. A workforce that feels supported, aligned, and valued is the foundation on which sustainable success is built. Namibia’s context makes this imperative even clearer. The Occupational Safety and Health Bill proposes…

27 Apr

TURNING POINT | Land is not enough: Why Namibia must rethink food self-sufficiency

Featured, Opinions

As a Namibian entrepreneur, I have heard the same question repeated in boardrooms, farms, and informal markets: how can a country with so much land and so few people still struggle to feed itself? It is a fair question, but also a dangerously simplistic one. Land alone does not produce food. Water, technology, logistics, policy, and human capital do. And it is precisely in these areas where Namibia must confront uncomfortable truths. A recent global analysis, published in Nature Food, revealed that only Guyana can produce all seven essential food groups domestically, starchy staples, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, fish, and…

27 Apr

Swapo’s HQ swells to N$900m

Main, National News

Justicia Shipena Delays in the construction of the Swapo's new headquarters have pushed the project cost beyond initial estimates, ballooning to over N$900 million. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah confirmed the revised figure during the party’s 66th anniversary celebrations, which coincided with the official opening of the building. “As it stands now, it is over N$900,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said, adding that the project was delayed by two years, moving it beyond the earlier estimate of between N$600 million and N$700 million. The headquarters project has faced scrutiny over the years, especially on financing the project. In 2023, contractor Unik Construction Engineering halted work…

27 Apr

‘We can’t police away unemployment’ …youth question police recruitment

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Youth leaders and activists have warned that large-scale recruitment in the security sector does not address unemployment. This comes as the Namibian Police Force (Nampol) is recruiting 1 750 cadet constables for the 2026/2027 financial year. Applications close on 13 May 2026. Affirmative Repositioning (AR) member of parliament Tuhafeni Kalola said youth unemployment remains a major challenge. According to data from the Namibia Statistics Agency, young people aged 15 to 35 make up 71% of the country's three million population. “Most of our young people try by all means to acquire degrees in different sectors; therefore, they are…

27 Apr

NNN sounds alarm on Swapo misinformation

National News

Patience Makwele President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned of what she described as a wave of misinformation targeting Swapo and called on party members to remain united. She made the remarks on Saturday during the 11th meeting of the party’s central committee at the Gateway Centre. The meeting included members of the central committee, politburo and senior leadership, including former president Nangolo Mbumba. Nandi-Ndaitwah said false information is being used to create division within the party. “There are those who present falsehoods as facts to sow confusion, mistrust and disunity among our rank and file,” she said. She urged members to…

27 Apr

New science hub to open in Katutura

National News

Patience Makwele The City of Windhoek has signed an agreement with the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST) to establish a science, technology and innovation centre in Katutura. The agreement was signed on Friday and sets out plans to build the centre at the UN Plaza Community Complex. Windhoek Mayor Sakarias Uunona said the project aims to link science with community needs. “This is not merely about signing a document. It is about forging a future where science and society intersect and where young people are empowered to innovate solutions to real challenges facing their communities," Uunona said. …

27 Apr

Legal platform to strengthen wildlife laws

National News

Staff Writer The newly launched Sustainable Wildlife Management Legal Hub will help identify gaps in laws and strengthen natural resource governance. Justice and labour relations minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel said this while launching the hub on Friday. “This Legal Hub will serve as a dedicated platform to display laws and policies that protect our biodiversity and the people who live alongside it,” he said. Immanuel said the platform is designed to go beyond storing laws and will help link policy with implementation. “It is not merely a library of statutes but a dynamic platform designed to bridge the gap between…