Blog – Page 23 – Windhoek Observer

20 Feb

NEFF oil bill support sparks trust debate

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters’ (NEFF) support for the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill has sparked debate about trust and political alignment within the opposition. On Wednesday, NEFF member of parliament Kalimbo Iipumbu told the House that the party supports the bill. “The President represents the collective sovereignty will of the Namibian people; therefore, vesting final approval authority in the Presidency elevates petroleum governance from narrow bureaucratic control to a matter of national strategic national asset that will determine Namibia’s economic future for generations,” Iipumbu said. He said the bill marks a step toward reclaiming Namibia’s petroleum…

20 Feb

Tsumeb municipality accused of forging building plans

Main, National News

Allexer Namundjembo The engineering department at the Tsumeb Municipality has been accused of forging building plans and approving designs that allegedly do not meet municipal standards. Sources who spoke to the Windhoek Observer on condition of anonymity claim that some engineers alter or redesign building plans that initially failed to meet requirements and later approve them for use. The Windhoek Observer has seen a building plan originally drawn last year by Star Innovations. The version later submitted to the municipality carried different contact details from those of the company named on the document. When contacted, the founder of Star Innovations…

19 Feb

The door or the sword: Why Africa will no longer ask permission to exist

Opinions

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) There is a Swahili saying that cuts to the heart of our modern predicament: "Wakala huona tu kile anacho uwezo wa utambuzi wa kuona." Translated, it means an agent only sees what they have the cognition to see. For decades, the world has looked at Africa and seen only what its limited cognition allowed: a continent of problems, not solutions; of resources, not resourcefulness; of people to be saved, not partners to be respected. That blindness ends now. When the spotlights dimmed on the 39th African Union Summit, something fundamental…

19 Feb

Khomas region at a tipping point

Editorial, Featured

Namibia cannot afford to treat the latest census figures as just another statistical update. A 44.6% population increase in the Khomas region since 2011, pushing the population to nearly 495 000, is not merely demographic growth. It is a structural shift with profound economic, fiscal and social consequences for the entire country. Khomas, anchored by Windhoek, is not just another region. It is Namibia’s administrative headquarters, financial nerve centre and primary commercial hub. What happens in Khomas does not stay in Khomas. It reverberates across the nation’s economy and political system. And right now, the warning lights are flashing. Urbanisation…

19 Feb

BoN says economic growth may fall short of expectations

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Bank of Namibia (BoN) says economic growth projections for 2025 and 2026 are under review and could be lower than earlier estimates due to slower domestic activity and global uncertainty. Speaking at the monetary policy announcement on Wednesday, Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uanguta said real GDP growth is currently estimated at about 3% for 2025 and 3.8% for 2026. He said these figures may be revised downward. Domestic activity slowed in 2025. Agriculture, fishing, mining and manufacturing contracted during the first three quarters of the year. As a result, the growth outlook for 2025 is weaker…

19 Feb

Buy-a-Brick raises over N$27m for housing

Observer Money

Staff Writer Standard Bank Namibia’s Buy-a-Brick initiative has raised more than N$27 million since it started in 2015. The funds have helped build over 740 homes for low-income families across the country. Through its community-driven model, the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia has facilitated the construction of more than 7 000 brick houses, improving living conditions for over 30 000 Namibians. Standard Bank strengthened its support for the Okalongo community through the 2026 Buy-a-Brick Community Outreach. Working with the Shack Dwellers Federation, regional leaders and corporate partners such as Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Namibia, the bank continues to expand access to…

19 Feb

BHP boosts dividend after profit jump

Observer Money

Staff Writer BHP Group Limited has reported higher earnings and revenue for the half year ended 31 December 2025 and increased its interim dividend. In results released on 17 February, the company said earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders rose to US$5.64 billion, up from US$4.42 billion in the same period in 2024. Headline earnings increased to US$5.69 billion from US$4.38 billion a year earlier. Headline earnings per share rose by 30% to 112.0 US cents, from 86.3 US cents in the previous comparable period. Basic earnings per share increased by 28% to 111.1 US cents, while diluted headline earnings per…

19 Feb

Grindrod profit more than doubles in 2025

National News

Staff Writer Grindrod Limited has reported a sharp rise in earnings for the year ended 31 December 2025, supported by once-off gains and improved performance in its core operations. The JSE-listed company, which operates in Walvis Bay, expects earnings to range between N$2.044 billion and N$2.094 billion. This compares to N$314 million in the previous financial year. Earnings per share are expected to be between 306.3 cents and 313.8 cents, up from 47.1 cents in the prior period. The increase includes once-off net profits of N$902.8 million from foreign currency translation reserves. These gains followed the acquisition of the remaining…

19 Feb

Khomas population jumps 44% in 12 years

Main, National News

Allexer Namundjembo Khomas region’s population has risen to 494 605. This marks an increase of 44.6% between 2011 and 2023, according to the latest regional results of Namibia’s population and housing census released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA). Presenting the findings, NSA statistician general Alex Shimuafeni said the 2023 census marked a shift in data collection. “This was Namibia’s first digital census with real-time, computer-aided data collection using handheld devices,” Shimuafeni said. He said the census remains central to public planning and governance. “The census generates diverse data on demographic and socioeconomic information and plays an essential role in…

19 Feb

Swartbooi: ‘President’s oil plan well-meant but misguided’

National News

Justicia Shipena Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi says he understands why President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s administration is gunning for a shift in oil powers as she is trying to find solutions for the oil sector. Debating the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill in Parliament, Swartbooi said the president is trying to confront serious concerns in the oil and energy sector. However he said the bill is misguided. He said the challenges include trust, corruption, and what he described as "power and resource grabs” within the system. “There’s a problem there. It’s a problem of trust. There’s a problem…