Blog – Page 17 – Windhoek Observer

24 Mar

How Nedbank is making first-time homeownership possible

Observer Money

Staff Writer Owning a home remains out of reach for many Namibians as property prices continue to rise. Entry-level apartments in Windhoek start at about N$525 000, while modest houses can reach close to N$2 million. High deposits and transfer costs have made it harder for young professionals and middle-income earners to enter the market. Nedbank Namibia has launched its “Unlock Your First Home” initiative to address this challenge. The bank has set aside a lending portfolio for first-time homebuyers as part of efforts to improve access to housing. Nedbank Namibia head of lending, Chane Isaaks, said the aim is…

23 Mar

TURNING POINT | Decentralising Independence: A Missed Timing, Not a Missed Opportunity

Featured, Opinions

This year’s decision by the Namibian government to host Independence Day celebrations across all 14 regions marks a notable and commendable shift in national thinking. For 36 years, the symbolic centre of our independence has largely remained fixed in Windhoek, politically convenient, administratively efficient, but economically narrow in its reach. By extending into every region, government has, perhaps unintentionally, offered a practical demonstration of what a decentralised economic model could look like. It is, in principle, an excellent idea. Yet, like many well-intentioned policy shifts in developing economies, its impact has been diluted by one critical flaw: timing. Announcing such…

23 Mar

MPs urge youth to lead economic fight

Main, National News

Patience Makwele Members of parliament have urged Namibia’s youth to take charge of the next phase of development. They warned that without jobs and opportunities, independence risks losing its meaning. The remarks were made during Independence Day celebrations over the weekend in the Zambezi and Kavango West regions by members of parliament, including Charles Mubita, Martin Lukato and speaker of the National Assembly Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. Mubita, who also serves as deputy minister of defence and veteran affairs, said Namibia must confront the realities many citizens still face. “We cannot claim to be independent on an empty stomach. We now need…

23 Mar

‘Assisting accident victims is not illegal’ — Amoomo

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Lawyer Kadhila Amoomo says civilians are allowed to assist people injured in road accidents and that doing so is lawful. Amoomo said assisting victims is lawful. He said section 78 of the Road Transportation Act 22 of 1999 requires drivers involved in an accident to render assistance to injured people. “This thing of stating that you can’t assist is a terrible lie that continues to cost us lives. You will stand there waiting for an ambulance for two hours because you fear the law while you could drive to the hospital,” Amoomo said while responding to questions from…

23 Mar

NAC operations unaffected by cyber hack

National News

Justicia Shipena The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) says it is treating a reported cyber threat with urgency after a ransomware group claimed it accessed and stole company data. In a statement shared on social media over the weekend, NAC said it is aware of claims by the INC Ransomware Group that it exfiltrated about 500 GB of data from its systems on 6 March 2026. The group plans to publish it on the dark web. “NAC takes this incident seriously and reiterates its commitment to transparency and will provide further updates as and when credible evidence emerges,” the company said.…

23 Mar

D-day for Shafudah’s appeal bid on payroll system

National News

Staff Writer The Windhoek High Court is set to rule today on finance minister Ericah Shafudah’s appeal over the lawsuit by microlender Entrepo Finance over the government’s payroll deduction system (PDMS). The ruling will be made at 09h00. PDMS allows civil servants to repay loans directly from their salaries. This comes as, on 28 August 2025, the Ministry of Finance issued a directive to end discretionary payroll deductions on the system from 30 November. The ministry at that time said only existing loans would continue, while statutory deductions such as tax and pension contributions would remain. Entrepo challenged the decision…

23 Mar

Local production still under pressure

National News

Patience Makwele Economic analyst Albert Matengu says Namibia’s small domestic market and high production costs continue to limit competitiveness. He said this is making it difficult to build a strong production-based economy. “Industrialisation is not an event; it’s a process. You need energy, logistics, skills and access to markets. Without that ecosystem, value addition remains aspirational," he said on Sunday in reflection of talks from Independence Day celebrations countrywide. He said Namibia has long identified value addition as a priority, but progress has been slow due to structural constraints. He added that regional integration and export-focused strategies will be key.…

23 Mar

Agra profit jumps 40.5% to N$62.1 million

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Agra Limited has reported a 40.5% increase in profit after tax to N$62.1 million for the six months ended 31 January 2026. The company released its unaudited results, showing growth across key financial measures. Revenue rose by 4.4% to N$1.593 billion from N$1.526 billion in the same period last year. Gross profit increased by 10.7% to N$312.4 million. Operating profit rose to N$86.2 million from N$60.7 million. Earnings per share increased to 121.47 cents from 86.46 cents. Net asset value per share rose to N$8.23 from N$7.16. Agra said the results were driven by improved operations, recovery of…

23 Mar

Low season slows hospitality sector growth

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s hospitality sector entered 2026 on a subdued but steady footing, with the traditional low season continuing to weigh on national occupancy levels. The latest figures from the Hospitality Association of Namibia showed that national occupancy stood at 32.39% in February 2026, slightly up from 31.23% in February 2025. Simonis Storm said in a report that although still below the pre-pandemic February average of about 41%, the performance was broadly in line with the usual seasonal slowdown that marks the first quarter of the year. During this period, international long-haul arrivals typically ease after the peak European winter…

23 Mar

NSX weakens in week ending 20 March

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Namibian Securities Exchange (NSX) posted a weaker performance for the week of 16 to 20 March 2026, with the overall market index declining 3.65% as losses in basic materials and consumer discretionary stocks weighed on sentiment. According to the latest NSX data, the overall index fell from 2,148.65 points the previous week to 2,070.30 points, a drop of 78.35 points. This left the index down 3.32% from its December 2025 level of 2,141.33. The Local Index, however, edged slightly higher during the week, rising 0.11% from 817.61 points to 818.48 points. Since December 2025, the local index…