Windhoek Observer

Chamwe Chaira  Letshego Bank (Namibia) Limited’s capital adequacy ratio declined to 28.1% for the year ended 31 December 2025, down from 30.2% in the previous year. The capital adequacy ratio measures a bank’s capital against its risk-weighted assets to ensure it can absorb losses, as required by the Bank of Namibia. Despite the decline, Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Limited reported higher earnings for the year. Profit after tax increased by 20.8% to N$505.8 million, compared with N$418.8 million recorded in 2024. Total comprehensive income and headline earnings also rose by 20.8% to N$505.8 million. Operating profit increased by 24.3% to N$577.9…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia aims to increase foreign direct investment and expand export markets over the next five years under targets set in the medium-term expenditure framework for the Ministry of International Relations and Trade. The plan outlines a steady rise in foreign direct investment inflows. Annual FDI is expected to reach N$207 billion in the 2024/25 financial year. It is projected to increase to N$223.6 billion in 2025/26, N$236.9 billion in 2026/27, N$246.4 billion in 2027/28 and N$251.3 billion by 2028/29. The government also plans to increase the number of Namibian businesses accessing export markets. The share of firms receiving…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia’s fiscal outlook remains manageable in the short term but faces growing pressure from structural weaknesses, according to analysis by FNB Namibia economist Cheryl Emvula. She said the 2026/27 National Budget outlines a fiscal path that still functions for now but shows signs of strain. Revenue performance has weakened. Government collections for the 2025/26 financial year were revised down to N$87.4 billion. This figure is below the original projection of N$89.4 billion and the N$89.1 billion collected in the previous year. Revenue is expected to increase to N$89.8 billion in the 2026/27 financial year. The projected increase relies…

Staff Writer  Bank Windhoek honoured estate agents and property agencies during its Central Estate Agent Awards held in Windhoek on 6 March. The event recognised performance in property finance, transaction volumes and specialist categories across the central region. Bank Windhoek chief financial officer and acting executive officer of specialist finance Zenaune Kamberipa said the property market recorded measured growth during the past year. He said rising house prices and steady rental demand supported the market despite global and domestic economic pressures. However, Kamberipa said affordability constraints, income pressures and unemployment continue to limit wider access to homeownership. Representatives from Dr…

Staff Writer  Old Mutual Namibia has announced that three of its senior legal professionals have been recognised on the inaugural Legal 500 General Counsel (GC) Powerlist: Namibia 2026, launched in Windhoek. Charmaine Burger, head of legal and company secretary, Charmaine Gouws, assistant group company secretary, and Marco Vollgraaff, head of compliance at Old Mutual Namibia, were named among Namibia’s leading in‑house legal professionals. The GC Powerlist, published by Legal 500, recognises exceptional general counsel and senior in-house legal professionals who play a critical role in shaping strong governance, managing risk, and supporting sustainable business growth in an increasingly complex regulatory…