Windhoek Observer

Staff Writer  Standard Bank Namibia has launched the 2026 Blue Growth Series, expanding the programme to support about 80 micro, small and medium enterprises. The programme was launched in Windhoek this week. It is run in partnership with the Namibia Investment and Finance Academy. The number of businesses supported has doubled from the first edition. The event brought together policymakers, financial sector leaders and selected entrepreneurs. Deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture, Dino Ballotti said a strong business environment is needed for entrepreneurs to grow. He said access to finance, mentorship, and support systems are keys.…

Staff Writer  The Capricorn Foundation has launched the Vocational Graduate Entrepreneurship Programme in Swakopmund. The programme is run in partnership with Unmatched Potential – Business Box Namibia. It targets technical and vocational education and training (TVET) graduates and aims to equip them with business skills, mentorship and practical experience. In the first phase, 20 graduates from the Erongo Region will be selected. Applicants must have completed an accredited TVET qualification at level 3 or 4 within the past one to five years. The programme will run for three months. Participants will receive training aimed at linking technical skills to business…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) has engaged stakeholders on how transactions involving the sale or transfer of mineral and petroleum licences should be taxed and regulated. The discussions come as Namibia sees increased activity in the oil sector following discoveries in the Orange Basin. NamRA commissioner Sam Shivute said the current legal framework still applies to these transactions. He said concerns raised during the engagement will be reviewed and submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises. The Chamber of Mines of Namibia said tax on share sales linked to licences should be based on profits. Chamber of…

Magano Erkana and Nhika Vassallo  Exciting times are under way in Namibia with the new Namibia National Digital Strategy 2025–2029 (NDS), dubbed “The Framework for Digital Transformation”. This represents a bold, comprehensive roadmap to harness digital technologies for economic growth, social inclusion and societal advancement.  Unveiled by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, the strategy aligns other state policies, addressing longstanding challenges like inadequate infrastructure, digital skills gaps and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has released the Namibia National Digital Strategy 2025–2029 (NDS). The NDS is a roadmap to harness digital technologies for economic growth,…

Mark and Dan Saltzman, the sons of Dis-Chem founders Lynette and Ivan Saltzman, have sold shares in the company for over R600 million. The brothers each sold shares worth roughly R321 million from January to February of this year. The brothers both received shares in the company worth billions in June 2025 following a major shift in the family’s holding structure. The brothers received 217 million in shares in the company last year, which represented around a quarter of the JSE-listed company that was founded by their parents in 1978. Prior to the shift, the family’s investment vehicle, Ivlyn, held…

Chamwe Kaira  Anglo American plc has announced a major move in the debt capital markets, with its financing arm, Anglo American Capital plc, successfully pricing a multi-tranche bond issuance valued at a total of US$2.3 billion. The offering consists of three sets of senior notes with varying maturities and interest rates. These include US$600 million in notes due in 2031 carrying a 4.625% coupon, US$700 million in notes due in 2033 at 5.0%, and a further US$1 billion in notes due in 2036 with a 5.25% coupon. The issuance is expected to be finalised this week. The proceeds from the…