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NAMIBIA’S GREEN HYDROGEN DREAM MEETS HARD REALITY

NAMIBIA’S GREEN HYDROGEN DREAM MEETS HARD REALITY

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Namibia’s green hydrogen ambitions were once framed as a historic leap: a small Southern African nation powering Europe’s decarbonisation, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and positioning itself as a global climate-finance success story. International headlines hailed a “once-in-a-generation opportunity.” Today, the narrative is markedly different. Senior executives have exited the programme. Donor support has thinned. Anchor investors have stepped back. And the export-led hydrogen vision that once sat at the centre of Namibia’s economic and climate strategy is now being quietly recalibrated behind closed doors. This is not a…
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Savanna Beef records N$9.7m operating loss

Savanna Beef records N$9.7m operating loss

Chamwe Kaira Savanna Beef Processors Limited has reported an operating loss of N$9.75 million for the six months ended 31 August 2025, according to its unaudited interim results released on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The company recorded a loss before taxation of N$13.21 million for the period, compared to a loss of N$7.67 million for the year ended 28 February 2025.  No taxation was recognised, resulting in a total, comprehensive loss of N$1.22 million for the interim period. Savanna Beef has over 250 million shares in issue, with a net asset value of 99 cents per share. Basic earnings…
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Credit card travel insurance may not fully protect travellers

Credit card travel insurance may not fully protect travellers

Chamwe Kaira Most major banks in Namibia include travel insurance when a qualifying credit card is used to buy a return international flight.  Industry experts say this cover is often limited and may not fully protect travellers abroad. The chief executive officer of Santam Namibia Limited, Franco Feris, says credit card travel insurance can offer a useful and affordable starting point.  He says travellers must understand its limits before leaving the country. Many assume they are fully covered and only discover gaps when they need to claim. He says knowing what is covered and what is not helps avoid unexpected…
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Trustco pauses share issuance in Legal Shield transaction

Trustco pauses share issuance in Legal Shield transaction

Chamwe Kaira Trustco Group Holdings Limited has suspended further implementation of its Legal Shield Holdings sale and conversion agreement after its board conducted a regulatory alignment review. In a notice to shareholders dated 17 December 2025, the Namibia-incorporated company said the transaction, approved by shareholders on 7 January 2025, was structured on the basis that it would not result in a change of control. The board said it undertook a regulatory alignment assessment to confirm that the transaction’s implementation remains consistent with the no-change-in-control framework approved by the JSE and disclosed to shareholders. Following this review, the board resolved to…
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Cash loans industry declines to N$7.8 billion

Cash loans industry declines to N$7.8 billion

Chamwe Kaira The microlending industry, largely driven by cash loans, recorded subdued performance in the third quarter of 2025. The total loan book stood at N$7.8 billion, reflecting a marginal quarter-on-quarter decline of 0.1%, despite a year-on-year increase of 7.2%.  Term lenders accounted for 92% of the total loan book. The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) released its quarterly statistical bulletin for the third quarter, covering the period from 1 July to 30 September 2025.  The report provides an overview of performance, compliance and consumer protection trends across the non-banking financial institutions sector, which includes insurers, medical aid funds,…
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Auto sales point to strongest year in a decade

Auto sales point to strongest year in a decade

Chamwe Kaira Vehicle sales continued on a steady but slower path in November, extending a trend seen since the March peak this year. Industry data compiled by Simonis Storm shows new vehicle sales reached 1 244 units, down 1.8% from October’s 1 267 units. Despite the monthly dip, sales remained well above last year’s levels.  November sales were 13.8% higher than in November 2024, when 1 093 units were sold. The year 2025 is shaping up as the strongest for the Namibian automotive sector since the pre-pandemic peak of 2015. Year-to-date sales stand at 13 356 units, exceeding the full-year…
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MultiChoice Talent Factory opens applications for 2026 intake

MultiChoice Talent Factory opens applications for 2026 intake

Staff Writer The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) has opened applications for its 2026 intake, offering aspiring African filmmakers a fully funded opportunity to enter the film and television industry. The pan-African training institution invites graduates from across the continent who want to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers, and visual storytellers. Through its academies, MTF provides professional training focused on building the skills needed to tell African stories for local and international audiences. Following MultiChoice’s integration into the CANAL+ Group, the company has reaffirmed its focus on African content by investing in young creative talent.  The programme aims to equip the…
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Old Mutual appoints Ingah Ekandjo as retail mass MD

Old Mutual appoints Ingah Ekandjo as retail mass MD

Staff Writer Old Mutual Namibia has appointed Ingah Ekandjo as managing director of its retail mass business, effective 2 January 2026. Ekandjo has more than 19 years of experience in the financial services sector, covering insurance and banking. She has spent 16 of those years in executive roles. She holds an undergraduate degree and a Master’s degree in business leadership and has completed leadership programmes in Namibia and abroad. Her career includes senior roles across retail mass, emerging, and affluent markets. She has led turnaround strategies, driven earnings growth, and introduced new business approaches. Her experience spans insurance distribution, channel…
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Civil servants to pay 2% less on loan deductions

Civil servants to pay 2% less on loan deductions

Renthia Kaimbi The Ministry of Finance will reduce loan repayment deductions from civil servants’ salaries by 2%, with the change taking effect this Friday for teachers and police officers. Windhoek Observer understands that the adjustment follows a new government position that the 2% surcharge previously deducted from employees’ salaries should not have been carried by workers.  The ministry now intends to recover the charge directly from deduction code holders, such as microlenders. The development comes as the High Court on Monday dismissed an urgent application to hold finance minister Ericah Shafudah in contempt of court. High Court judge Lotta Ambunda…
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Business event visas add N$1.5m to state revenue in six months 

Business event visas add N$1.5m to state revenue in six months 

Renthia Kaimbi Over 900 visas were issued to people who attended Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) events in Namibia. The visas have been issued since June, generating N$1.5 million in revenue to date. This comes as Namibia moves to position itself in the global business events market with the launch of the Namibia Convention Bureau (NCB). Chief immigration officer Tulimeke Munyika said the issuance of MICE visas reflects growing inbound business travel.  Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Indileni Daniel on Tuesday launched the NCB and its website.  She described the move as a step aimed at diversifying the…
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