Blog – Page 10 – Windhoek Observer

04 Mar

Are we outsourcing the bench ?

Editorial, Featured

The Office of the Judiciary this week announced the appointment of former judges from the region to Namibia’s High Court. A former judge of the High Court of Botswana, Gabriel Komboni, has been appointed on contract for two years and five months. Two Zimbabwean jurists, retired High Court judge David Mangota and former High Court judge James Devittie, have been appointed as acting judges for three years. On paper, these are distinguished legal professionals. Their experience is not in question. Regional judicial exchange is not uncommon, and cross-border appointments can, in certain contexts, strengthen jurisprudential coherence within the Southern African region. Yet the announcement…

04 Mar

Debmarine vessel shutdown cuts diamond output

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s diamond production fell by 7% to 2.1 million carats in 2025 as Anglo American continued restructuring its diamond unit, De Beers, amid weaker global demand for rough stones. According to Anglo American’s 2025 Integrated Annual Report, De Beers produced 21.7 million carats during the year, down 12% from 24.7 million carats in 2024. The company cut production across Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Canada to align outputs with market demand. In Namibia, output declined mainly due to lower production at Debmarine Namibia. The decommissioning of the Coral Sea and Grand Banks mining vessels reduced volumes. Higher-grade ore…

04 Mar

FNB eyes growth on oil and gas investment prospects

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira FirstRand Namibia has reported strong interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2025, as it positions itself to benefit from expected growth in oil and gas investment and an improving domestic outlook. Namibia’s economic prospects hinge on improved agricultural yields, rising uranium production and renewed activity in mining, exploration and infrastructure. The anticipated final investment decision (FID) by global oil and gas companies could reshape the investment landscape. A positive FID could attract foreign capital, drive further investment and create opportunities across sectors. The group said robust monetary policy and improving consumer sentiment should support household…

04 Mar

Nedbank Group posts R17.2bn headline earnings

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Nedbank Group Limited reported a 2% increase in headline earnings to R17.2 billion for the year ended 31 December 2025, describing the period as a transformative year marked by strategic restructuring, portfolio repositioning and balance sheet resilience. Headline earnings per share increased by 2% to 3 706 cents, while diluted headline earnings per share rose by 3% to 3 628 cents. Return on equity measured 15.4%, slightly down from 15.8% in 2024 but still above the group’s cost of equity. Revenue grew by 3% to R73.9 billion. Expense growth of 7% to R43.4 billion pushed the cost-to-income ratio…

04 Mar

Companies cut debt despite lower interest rates

Observer Money

Staff Writer Corporates continued to make net repayments in January 2026 despite lower lending rates and contained inflation, reducing overall credit uptake, according to Standard Bank Namibia economist Helena Mboti. Private Sector Credit Extension (PSCE) slowed to 4.2% year-on-year in January, down from 4.4% in December 2025. Mboti said the slowdown reflected subdued demand rather than tighter financial conditions. Business credit growth declined by 1.0 percentage point to 3.8% year-on-year in January. Household credit edged up by 0.3 percentage points to 5.8%. Inflation eased from 3.6% year-on-year to 3.4% in November 2025. Lending rates also declined under an accommodative monetary…

04 Mar

Digital social grant payments set for launch

Opinions

Staff Writer Bank Windhoek has reaffirmed its commitment to Namibia’s financial modernisation agenda following its participation in a high-level engagement on the rollout of Government-to-Person (G2P) payments under the national Instant Payment Programme (IPP). The meeting brought together minister of finance Ericah Shafudah, Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uanguta, deputy governor Leonie Dunn, Bank Windhoek managing director James Chapman and other industry participants forming part of the first cohort implementing the IPP. Discussions focused on alignment, operational readiness and progress on the G2P digital payments rollout through Instant Payments Namibia (IPN), the entity established to operationalise the country’s instant payment…

04 Mar

NSI wraps up talks on new standards rules

Observer Money

Staff Writer The Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) has concluded stakeholder consultations on the review and formulation of the standards regulations. The consultations took place in the Khomas and Erongo regions. They form part of a national process to strengthen Namibia’s standards and regulatory framework and ensure it responds to economic changes, technological developments and international regulatory practice. The current standards regulations were promulgated in 2013 after the Standards Act of 2005 came into effect. Since then, Namibia’s economic and regulatory environment has changed. Trade integration has increased. Industrial activity has expanded. Expectations for stronger regulation and market oversight have grown.…

04 Mar

Credit cycle moderating in an orderly manner

Observer Money

The January 2026 money and banking data show that the credit cycle is slowing in an orderly way. Liquidity conditions are normalising on a seasonal basis. The monetary environment remains supportive of growth. Private Sector Credit Extension (PSCE) growth eased to 4.2% in January from 4.4% in December. Simonis Storm said this does not signal a change in the underlying credit trend. Corporate credit growth softened but remains positive in most major sub-sectors, except commercial property finance. Borrowing patterns still point to investment in productive assets rather than speculative activity. Household credit has started to improve after a long period…

04 Mar

Rich tomorrows start with brave todays

Observer Money

Christopher Freygang There’s something almost magical about the early years of adulthood. Everything is new, everything is possible, and the future still feels wide open. But that same freedom can also make money feel like something you’ll “figure out later". It’s easy to think wealth is something older people build, once careers are settled and life feels less unpredictable. The truth is the opposite. Your younger years give you one of the most valuable financial assets you’ll ever have, and it’s not a fancy salary or an investment plan. It’s time. Wealth isn’t built overnight. It grows quietly, almost invisibly,…

04 Mar

Truth must be faced head on: Power, terror and the crisis of moral consistency

Opinions

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) “If the truth is not faced head on, the lie will not disappear. It will destroy everything.” In the short story The Suit (1963) by Can Themba, a betrayal is symbolised by an object left in plain sight. No one confronts it. No one removes it. It remains in the room silent, heavy, and corrosive until it destroys the household. Today, the international order feels like that room. A narrative sits at the centre of global politics: that powerful states act primarily in defence of freedom, stability, and global security…