Windhoek Observer

11933 Posts
Venus oil project to contribute over N$500 billion to GDP

Venus oil project to contribute over N$500 billion to GDP

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s Venus offshore development project is expected to become one of the country’s biggest economic contributors, with potential GDP gains of between N$536 billion and N$800 billion over its 25-year lifespan, according to its environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA). TotalEnergies EP Namibia B.V. (TEEPNA) and its joint venture partners, QatarEnergy International and NAMCOR, hold a Petroleum Exploration Licence for PEL56/Block 2913B, located off the southern coast of Namibia.  Based on exploration and appraisal activities, the companies are studying the feasibility of developing the Venus field to produce light crude oil. The Venus field lies 300 km from…
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FlyNamibia teams up with Fastjet for Windhoek–Harare flights

FlyNamibia teams up with Fastjet for Windhoek–Harare flights

Staff Writer Fly Namibia has entered into a new partnership with Fastjet, effective 1 November 2025, to offer travellers seamless connections between Windhoek and Harare through Victoria Falls.  The airline said the collaboration aims to improve regional travel and strengthen economic ties across Southern Africa. With aligned schedules between Fly Namibia’s Windhoek–Victoria Falls route and Fastjet’s Victoria Falls–Harare service, passengers can travel more easily between Namibia and Zimbabwe for business or leisure. “This partnership with Fastjet represents progress for regional air travel,” said Nerine Uys, CEO of Fly Namibia. “By connecting Windhoek and Harare through Victoria Falls, we are helping…
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Santam invests N$150 000 in Windhoek flood safety project

Santam invests N$150 000 in Windhoek flood safety project

Staff Writer Santam Namibia, in partnership with the City of Windhoek, has launched a flood signage project to improve public safety at high-risk river crossings in the capital. The insurer has committed about N$150 000 for the installation of warning and depth marker signs across flood-prone areas identified by the city’s emergency and disaster risk management division. The chief executive officer of Santam Namibia, Franco Feris, said Namibia’s risk landscape has changed in recent years.  “Shifting climate patterns and rapid urbanisation have significantly increased the frequency and intensity of flash floods. The result has been a concerning rise in vehicles…
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Nida leased land for N$1 a month …retailers owe up to N$15 million for fruit deliveries 

Nida leased land for N$1 a month …retailers owe up to N$15 million for fruit deliveries 

Renthia Kaimbi The Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida) has supplied fruits to retailers without receiving payment and leased state land for as little as N$1 per month.  The Windhoek Observer uncovered that internal documents and spoken sources point to weak governance and misuse of public assets meant to drive industrial growth. At the centre of the issue is Naute Farm in the south of the country, known for grape and date farming.  Sources told the Windhoek Observer that Nida has been supplying fruits to certain retailers for years without collecting payments.  Estimates place the outstanding debts from one arrangement between…
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Alliance Media’s interest appeal against TransNamib crumbles 

Alliance Media’s interest appeal against TransNamib crumbles 

Allexer Namundjembo The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by Alliance Media (Pty) Ltd against TransNamib Holdings Limited, ruling that the company’s claim for interest on money owed was made too early and had no legal grounds. The recent judgement followed a hearing held on June 11, 2025, before Supreme Court judges Sylvester Mainga, Elton Hoff and acting judge Rita Makarau. In 2013, a lease agreement gave Alliance Media exclusive rights to place outdoor advertisements on TransNamib premises.  The lease ran from 1 March 2013 to 29 February 2018 and an addendum later extended it to 28 February 2022. In…
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Only two political parties witness ballot printing

Only two political parties witness ballot printing

Justicia Shipena The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) said that only two political parties observed the printing of ballot papers for the upcoming regional councils and local authorities elections set for 26 November 2025. ECN chief electoral and referenda officer Peter Shaama disclosed this during a media briefing at the ECN headquarters in Windhoek on Monday, following the official arrival of the ballot papers in the country. Shaama said the printing, packaging and sealing of the ballot papers took place under the supervision of two political parties and the Namibian Police before being transported to Namibia under secure conditions. Three…
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MP says mental health bill neglects health workers

MP says mental health bill neglects health workers

Justicia Shipena Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member of parliament Lilani Brinkman says the Mental Health Bill ignores the rights and dignity of mental health workers and home-based caregivers. She said the bill focuses on protecting patients but fails to consider the health workers and family members who look after people with mental illness. Brinkman said the bill does not include measures to improve the training, working conditions, or emotional support of caregivers, which she described as a serious weakness in the proposed law. Last month, health minister Esperance Luvindao tabled the Mental Health Bill in Parliament.  If passed, the…
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Free education: A bold step, but responsibility must follow

The government has finally clarified what it means by “free education”. While the clarification may have disappointed some who expected full coverage of every education-related cost, from tuition to accommodation, transport, and registration, it deserves acknowledgement for its honesty and fiscal realism. In a time when public expectations often outpace the limits of public resources, this is a bold and mature move by the government. For years, “free education” has been a politically loaded term, used loosely and often misunderstood. Many citizens equated it with “everything free”, but in truth, no education system in the world is ever entirely free.…
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Youth fund backs 42 startups

Youth fund backs 42 startups

Chamwe Kaira The National Youth Development Fund (NYDF), launched in September, has disbursed N$14.78 million to 42 startups, executive director in the Ministry of Finance Michael Humavindu has revealed. The fund is capitalised at N$500 million, with N$257 million available for the current financial year.  It is being implemented by the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), Agribank and the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) to close financing gaps for youth-led enterprises. Humavindu said that the NYDF's growth includes a way to lend money through Development Finance Institutions, a fund at the Bank of Namibia to keep it going long-term, and a…
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Oceana expects up to 42% drop in annual earnings

Oceana expects up to 42% drop in annual earnings

Chamwe Kaira Oceana Group Limited has warned shareholders that its earnings for the year ended 30 September 2025 are expected to drop sharply, despite stronger catches late in the financial year. In a trading update released on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the Cape Town-based fishing and food processing company, which also operates in Namibia, said it now expects its basic earnings per share to range between 589 cents and 534 cents.  This reflects a decline of between 36% and 42% from the 920.9 cents reported in 2024. Headline earnings per share are forecast to fall within the same range,…
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