Windhoek Observer – Page 2 – Windhoek Observer

10 Mar

FNB Namibia wins foreign exchange banking award

Observer Money

Staff Writer FNB Namibia has been named the Best Foreign Exchange Bank in Namibia in Global Finance magazine’s 26th Annual World’s Best Foreign Exchange Banks awards. The recognition forms part of the Gordon Platt Foreign Exchange Awards 2026, which honours banks for their performance in foreign exchange markets. Global Finance’s annual awards programme covers 87 countries, territories and districts, seven global regions and several global categories. The programme recognises institutions that perform well in foreign exchange services. Ian Erlank, head of global markets at RMB Namibia, said the award reflects the group’s work in foreign exchange services. “This award reflects…

10 Mar

Namibia commits to support women in aviation

Observer Money

Staff Writer Namibia has reaffirmed its commitment to support women in aviation during the Women in Aviation Namibia summit held in Windhoek. The event brought together participants from government, industry, academia and civil society to discuss ways to increase women’s participation in the aviation sector. In a statement delivered by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia will continue aligning national policies with regional and international frameworks that promote gender equality. “We will continue aligning national policies with regional and international frameworks promoting gender equality, including our obligations under SADC and the African Union,” she said. The president…

10 Mar

Women entrepreneurs to drive Namibia’s economic future

Observer Money, Opinions

Hellen Amupolo Across the world, women are reshaping economies. According to global entrepreneurship data, women started almost half of all new businesses in 2024, marking a 69% rise since 2019. Sub-Saharan Africa now holds the highest female entrepreneurial activity rate globally at 26%, according to the Harvard University Centre for African Studies. This surge reflects extraordinary ambition, even as women continue to face systemic barriers. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, women remain 47% more likely than men to close a business due to family or personal pressures, and they continue to encounter challenges accessing finance and formal market networks.…

10 Mar

Workplace burnout: The silent weakening of productivity and morale

Opinions

Victoria Shekutamba Burnout is often described as a personal struggle and portrayed as an employee feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope with workplace demands. However, burnout is not merely an individual issue. It is an organisational risk with significant long-term consequences for performance, morale, and institutional sustainability. In many workplaces across Namibia, burnout does not always present obvious symptoms. Employees continue to report for duty, meet deadlines, and attend meetings. On the surface, operations appear stable and functional. Yet beneath this apparent stability, energy levels may be declining, engagement may be weakening, and cognitive sharpness may be gradually diminishing. It…

10 Mar

War is the sport of the great empires, diplomacy is the talk show of small states

Opinions

Lazarus Kwedhi As conventional wisdom dictates, “oshilongo mpa oosa, mpa ondigolo” and “gumwe otati sa, gumwe otati kalako", meaning that one part of the country is mourning while another part is celebrating. One person wants you dead while another wants you alive. In light of this conventional wisdom, the USA–Israel coordinated military strike against the Islamic Republic of Iran that reportedly killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other national and military leaders has ignited mixed feelings among Iranians, in Middle Eastern countries, and around the world at large. Anti-Islamic Republic government supporters are seen supporting the USA–Israel…

09 Mar

Paragon eyes strategic stake in Rössing Uranium: A milestone for Namibian investment

Main, National News

Staff Writer Paragon Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd has formally expressed interest in acquiring the 10.2% equity stake in Rössing Uranium Limited currently held by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC), a move analysts say marks a significant milestone for the company and for Namibia’s growing role in strategic mineral ownership. The IDC, one of the founding shareholders of Rössing Uranium since the 1970s, recently issued a call for expressions of interest (EOI) from potential buyers for its 10.2% equity stake. According to the IDC, the sale is part of its normal investment cycle, having reached its investment horizon…

09 Mar

Sanlam new business value falls after Namibia sale

National News

Chamwe Kaira Sanlam Limited has reported a decrease in Value of New Business (VNB) for the year ended 31 December, partly linked to the disposal of its Namibia operations to SanlamAllianz in 2024. The company said the decline was largely driven by a shift in product mix in South Africa, where clients continued to favour market-linked or living annuities instead of life annuities. “This was compounded by development costs associated with establishing new distribution channels in India as well as by the cessation of the Capitec partnership and disposal of the Namibia operations to SanlamAllianz in 2024,” the company said.…

09 Mar

Katti warns Namibians may miss Rössing stake opportunity

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Businessman Knowledge Katti says Namibians risk missing an opportunity to gain local ownership in the Rössing Uranium Mine. In January, reports emerged that one of the shareholders of Rössing uranium, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa, is selling its 10.2% stake in the mine. The IDC was among Rössing’s founding shareholders in the 1970s, when Rio Tinto was the main shareholder. IDC said it had reached the end of its investment horizon and intended to dispose of its 10.2% stake because the holding period for the investment had expired. Katti raised the concern on Friday in…

09 Mar

Leaders call for action on women’s rights

National News

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says progress toward gender equality requires action and commitment from society. Nandi-Ndaitwah was among many leaders who, on International Women’s Day yesterday, called for stronger action to protect the rights of women and girls. “Progress does not happen by chance. It requires action, determination and the collective will of societies to ensure that women and girls are given the dignity, opportunity and space to contribute fully to the development of our world,” she said during the commemoration of International Women’s Day at Hosea Kutako International Airport on Sunday. The global event was observed under the…

09 Mar

Programme launched to tackle food insecurity in Oshikoto

National News

Allexer Namundjebo A two-year emergency food support programme aimed at addressing food insecurity among vulnerable households was launched last week at Ondera Farm in the Oshikoto region. The programme is implemented through a partnership between the government, Chevron and the non-profit organisation Palms for Life Fund. The launch ceremony took place on Friday and was officiated by the governor of Oshikoto, Sacky Kathindi, on behalf of vice president Lucia Witbooi. Regional and traditional leaders and community members attended the event. The programme will provide nutritious food assistance to about 3 150 households, including highly vulnerable individuals, pregnant and breastfeeding women…