Blog – Page 7 – Windhoek Observer

19 Mar

BoN wins AI innovation award

Observer Money

Staff Writer The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has won the Artificial Intelligence Initiative Award at the Central Banking Awards. The award recognises institutions that use artificial intelligence in areas such as forecasting, payments oversight, regulation and fraud detection. The bank was recognised for using artificial intelligence and machine learning in its daily operations. Key projects include a non-performing loans predictive model, an inflation nowcasting system and a regulatory navigation tool. The non-performing loans model helps provide early insights into risks in the banking sector. The inflation nowcasting system produces near-real-time inflation estimates to support monetary policy decisions. The Regulatory Navigation…

19 Mar

Reflections on Namibia’s budget dialogue

Observer Money

Vusi Thembekwayo I stood in a room in Windhoek last week and asked one question that silenced the conversation: "Does the person who goes to bed hungry eat complacence?" I was invited to deliver the keynote at the Namibia Budget Dialogue 2026 alongside Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah, and what I saw in that room gave me hope and, with that, left me with some questions. I am a numbers guy, so let me tell you what hope looks like when backed by data. The resource The Orange Basin holds an estimated 11 billion barrels of light oil. TotalEnergies is moving…

19 Mar

No credibility or honour in erasing another man’s history: The political crisis of renaming, rebranding public infrastructure and the removal of statues

Opinions

Lazarus Kwedhi Public memory is one of the most powerful instruments in shaping a nation’s identity. The names of towns, streets, institutions and monuments are not merely administrative labels; they are historical markers that record the journey of a people. When such markers are erased or replaced, history itself risks being distorted or forgotten. For this reason, the growing practice of renaming and rebranding public infrastructure and institutions in Namibia deserves critical reflection. A lesson from local history illustrates this point. When my grandfather, Kwedhi kwa Shivute, who was then the headman of Eputa Village, passed away in 1956, Tk.…

19 Mar

Namibia and the emerging new world order: Strategic neutrality and non-alignment in an era of global power reconfiguration

Opinions

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The international system is undergoing one of the most profound transformations since the end of the Cold War. Rising geopolitical tensions, technological rivalries, economic competition, and persistent regional conflicts are reshaping the architecture of global power. What many analysts increasingly describe is not simply a series of isolated crises, but the gradual emergence of a new world order. Within this evolving landscape, the diplomatic posture adopted by Namibia’s eighth administration deserves careful attention. By reaffirming a policy rooted in strategic neutrality, non-alignment, multilateral engagement, and pragmatic diplomacy, Namibia is positioning…

19 Mar

A computer used to be a person – from human computers to intelligent systems: Namibia’s place in the next era of computing

Observer Money

Pascal Haingura There was a time when the word 'computer' did not refer to a machine at all. It referred to a person – someone employed to perform calculations. Before electronic machines existed, governments, astronomers, engineers, and scientists relied on human “computers” to process numerical data manually and systematically. Then came the technological turning point of the 20th century. With the rise of electronic computing, machines assumed the work of calculation and data processing. From that moment onwards, a computer became something people used first in laboratories and government offices, later in businesses, and eventually in homes. Today, we are…

18 Mar

Mungunda’s ‘toying around’ with tender contractors triggers audit request

National News

Justicia Shipena Concerns over procurement at the Social Security Commission (SSC) began when its executive officer, Milka Mungunda, started engaging external individuals without clear documentation. A request for an internal audit seen by the Windhoek Observer shows that SSC's general manager for business development, Nambata Angula, submitted an investigation request to internal auditor Kegumbo Ambondo on 13 March. The concerns relate to procurement processes linked to the National Pension Fund and the National Medical Benefit Fund, which are still not operational. “The purpose of this submission is to formally request the internal audit function to investigate potential breaches of established…

18 Mar

Doctors left in the dark on Vision April 2026

Main, National News

Patience Makwele The Medical Association of Namibia (MAN) says it was not consulted on the government’s plan to require senior officials to use public health facilities from 1 April. The directive, known as Vision April 2026, will see about 294 senior government officials move to public healthcare in its first phase. Health minister Esperance Luvindao last week said the arrangement is “not complicated” and officials will still be allowed to consult private doctors. However, the association’s chief executive officer, Dr Armid Azadeh, said doctors were not formally engaged before the announcement. He said this raises questions about how the policy…

18 Mar

N$33 billion power play: Namibia’s solar gamble must deliver for the people

Editorial, Featured

Namibia’s plan to invest roughly N$33 billion into expanding electricity access and generation is not just welcome news; it is long overdue. For a country blessed with abundant sunshine, vast open land, and a growing need for reliable energy, this commitment signals a potentially transformative shift in how Namibia powers its future. At its core, this programme recognises a simple truth: energy is the backbone of development. Without reliable, affordable electricity, economic growth stalls, industries struggle to compete, and households remain locked out of opportunities that many around the world take for granted. For too long, Namibia has lived with…

18 Mar

Over 500 000 cyber risks detected in three months …NAC joins list of hacked institutions

National News

Justicia Shipena More than 535 000 cyber vulnerabilities were recorded in Namibia between October and December 2025. The findings come from the Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team (Nam-CSIRT), which also detected 195 661 cyber events during the same period. The report, compiled under the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran), shows that weaknesses in systems remain widespread. Cran’s executive for communication and consumer relations, Mufaro Nesongano, said the findings point to the need for stronger protection. “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Incidents such as this serve as an important reminder for organisations across all sectors to strengthen their cyber…

18 Mar

Nurses union warns against filming in hospitals

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibia Nurses Union (Nanu) has warned against the growing practice of members of the public taking photos and videos inside clinics and hospitals. On Tuesday, the union issued a statement claiming that these recordings often circulate online as purported evidence of subpar service. It said the practice violates privacy and disrupts healthcare environments. “Our primary concern is that such actions are carried out without due regard for the fundamental rights to privacy and human dignity of both patients and healthcare workers,” the union said. Nanu said public healthcare settings require confidentiality and respect. It said unauthorised recordings…