Blog – Windhoek Observer

31 Mar

Electricity, water sector rebounds to 12.6% in 2025

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The electricity and water sector grew by 12.6% in 2025, up from 2% in 2024, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA). The growth was driven by the electricity subsector, which expanded by 14.9% compared to 3.3% in 2024. The increase is linked to higher local electricity production supported by good rainfall in catchment areas for hydropower generation. The construction sector also recorded growth, increasing by 20.2% in 2025 from 3.3% in 2024. This was supported by civil engineering works, mainly linked to electricity infrastructure, as well as increased building activity. The transport and storage sector slowed to…

31 Mar

NSX climbs as materials sector leads

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) recorded gains for the week of 23 to 27 March 2026, with the overall index rising by 2.76% to 2 127.37 points from 2 070.30 the previous week. Despite the increase, the index remains 0.65% lower than its level in December 2025. The local index declined by 0.10% to 817.63 points, although it is still 1.22% higher than its December level. Basic materials led the gains, rising by 5.92% to 727.00 points. The sector is now 1.61% higher than at the end of 2025. Consumer staples increased by 3.96% to 1 343.08 points…

31 Mar

What a decade of auction reveals about coloured diamonds

Observer Money

Some of the large coloured diamonds that have brought in multimillion-dollar prices at auction in recent years. “There have been fewer super-high-end sales in the past few years than what you saw 10 years ago, and that is just a statement of fact,” says Quig Bruning, Sotheby’s head of jewellery for the Americas and for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The reasons for the drop vary, from fewer elite buyers and a dearth of “wow” stones to collection hoarding, oversaturation, and a growing knowledge of prices. However, the number of exceptional blue, pink and yellow diamonds on offer…

31 Mar

UN slavery reparations resolution offers GENOCIDE descendants a golden vehicle?

Opinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro CERTAINLY any Pan-Africanist cannot but commend as well as welcome the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) of a resolution on the Transatlantic Slavery and the Slave Trade. Defining the unspeakable and despicable acts of former colonial powers in Africa, foremost the Transatlantic Slavery and Slave Trade, as “the gravest crime against humanity” is giving a moral as well as political weight to the long demand and aspirations by and of Africans and people of African descent in the diaspora for reparations from the former colonial powers. Expectedly, foremost, the United States of America (USA) voted…

31 Mar

NOGC 2026 set to draw global energy players

Observer Money

Staff Writer The fourth edition of the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition (NOGC2026) will take place in Windhoek from 19 to 21 August, with organisers launching the event brochure ahead of the conference. Since it started in 2023, the event has grown into a key platform for Namibia’s oil and gas sector, focusing on local participation, skills development and industry access. NOGC2026 is expected to attract more than 4 000 participants, over 150 speakers and 100 exhibitors. Delegates from more than 40 countries are expected to attend. The programme will include sessions on investment, local content, job creation,…

30 Mar

TURNING POINT | The audacity of big dreams

Featured, Opinions

There is a quiet but persistent frustration that sits with many Namibian entrepreneurs: the sense that we have normalised small thinking in a country that requires bold imagination. A recent conversation with a colleague left me unsettled. He argued that Namibia’s last truly “big idea” was independence itself and that since then, our national trajectory has been defined more by incrementalism than ambition. Whether one agrees fully or not, the question is unavoidable: can a nation progress without a culture of audacious thinking? The evidence suggests otherwise. Nations that have transformed themselves did not do so by solving problems in…

30 Mar

‘No need to panic over fuel’ – Amuste …as households brace for higher expenses

Main, National News

Patience Makwele Mines and Energy Minister Modestus Amutse says Namibia has enough fuel and there is no need for panic buying. Amutse said fuel stocks can meet national demand for one to two months, with no expected supply disruptions. “Namibia has enough fuel and there is no need for panic buying,” Amutse said. He said this even when rising global oil prices push local pump costs higher. Fuel prices are set to increase from 1 April 2026. Petrol will rise by N$2.50 per litre, while diesel will increase by N$4.00 per litre. At Walvis Bay, petrol 95 will cost N$22.08…

30 Mar

||Khomani chief faces removal over land dispute

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Chief of the ||Khomani Traditional Authority Julianne Gawanas is facing a no-confidence process following allegations linked to land allocation in the traditional district. The Landless |Khomani Association and the Land Access Movement of Namibia have initiated steps toward her possible removal. In a notice dated 27 March 2026, the organisations said they will institute proceedings in terms of Section 8(1) of the Traditional Authorities Act of 2000. The move follows a resolution adopted at a community meeting held on 31 January at A.I. Steenkamp Primary School, where more than 750 community members reportedly passed a vote of no…

30 Mar

NAC data leaked on dark web

National News

Justicia Shipena Information obtained during a cyberattack on the Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has been released on the dark web. NAC confirmed this on Saturday. NAC said early findings show the leaked data includes files for the airport permit system, parking management records, engineering and project documents, financial records and internal reports. The company said it is still verifying the full extent of the breach and assessing whether sensitive or personal information has been affected. NAC said it acted after detecting the incident and has since strengthened its cybersecurity systems. It said airport operations, safety and security remain unaffected. The…

30 Mar

Kandume opts out of NSFAF team under ministry

National News

Justicia Shipena Former acting chief executive officer of the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF), Kennedy Kandume chose not to join the team reintegrated into the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture. The ministry said Kandume was among three staff members out of 91 who opted out of transferring to the ministry in a personal capacity during the reintegration process. The ministry's executive director Mbumba Erasmus Haitengela said the decision was made by Kandume and is respected. “We appreciate Mr Kandume’s contributions and dedication during his tenure as acting CEO. His leadership and commitment to advancing NSFAF’s…