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Walvis Bay residents demand toilets and roads

Walvis Bay residents demand toilets and roads

Renthia Kaimbi More than 4 500 Walvis Bay residents have signed a petition calling for urgent municipal reform, raising concerns over sanitation, infrastructure and service delivery. The petition, titled “Demand urgent municipal reform in Walvis Bay,” has been submitted to the municipality and outlines what residents describe as ongoing failures that are affecting daily life. Signatories say poor sanitation in informal settlements has led to open defecation due to a lack of toilets.  “Every day as I drive out of Walvis Bay, I witness the heartbreaking sight of grown men and women resorting to relieving themselves by the roadside,” the…
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OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo livestock project set for national rollout

OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo livestock project set for national rollout

Renthia Kaimbi The Hope Farm Project will expand to other regions after completing its first year in the Erongo Region. The project, launched on 26 July 2025, is a partnership between the Swakop Uranium Foundation, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, the Erongo Regional Council and local cooperatives. It started with the donation of 630 goats and sheep to 30 beneficiaries.  By January 2026, the project had placed 1 008 animals with cooperatives, with the total herd growing to 1 248 animals. Officials said the growth reflects the work of participating farmers and the use of a…
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OBSERVER COASTAL | Global Money Week concludes in Swakopmund

OBSERVER COASTAL | Global Money Week concludes in Swakopmund

Renthia Kaimbi Global Money Week 2026 concluded in Swakopmund after four days of discussions on financial literacy and digital finance. The event ran from 16 to 19 March and was hosted by the Swakopmund municipality. It brought together government officials, financial sector representatives, educators and young people under the theme “Smart Money Talks". The programme focused on improving financial understanding and helping people manage money in a digital environment. At the opening, Bank of Namibia (BoN) deputy governor Leonie Dunn said the financial system is changing fast.  “The financial world is changing rapidly. Financial systems are increasingly digital, instantaneous, and…
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NBL expects profit drop of up to 15%

NBL expects profit drop of up to 15%

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) anticipates its operating profit for the twelve months ended 31 December 2025 is expected to decline by 10% to 15%. NBL said the comparison is affected by its change in financial year-end in March 2024, which resulted in an eighteen-month reporting period for 2024. It said the prior period is not directly comparable. On a like-for-like twelve-month basis, the group reported operating profit growth of between 35% and 45%, reflecting performance after its merger. Headline earnings per share and basic earnings per share are expected to decrease by less than 5%. NBL said the…
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Namibia tax losses push up Choppies’ effective tax rate 

Namibia tax losses push up Choppies’ effective tax rate 

Chamwe Kaira  Losses in Namibia have pushed up Choppies Enterprises Limited’s effective tax rate as the retailer reported lower profits for the six months ended 31 December 2025. The group said its effective tax rate increased to 22.2% from 17.3% in the previous period. It said this was mainly because it did not recognise deferred tax assets on losses in its Namibian operations. The increase was also influenced by a non-taxable gain linked to the derecognition of payables. Profit for the period declined by 33% to BWP 77 million. Revenue increased by 8.6% to BWP 5.125 billion, supported by retail…
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Old Mutual confirms April dividend payment

Old Mutual confirms April dividend payment

Chamwe Kaira  Old Mutual says Namibian shareholders will receive an interim dividend of 56 cents per share, with payment scheduled for 13 April 2026. The dividend forms part of the company’s interim results announced on 17 March 2026. Old Mutual said shareholders on the London, Malawi and Namibia registers will be paid in local currency equivalents, while those on the Zimbabwean registers will receive US dollar equivalents. For Namibia, the dividend is set at 56 Namibian cents per share, based on an exchange rate of one Namibian dollar per rand. The company said shareholders who are not exempt from dividend…
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RMB supports Telecom’s modernisation with N$405m loan

RMB supports Telecom’s modernisation with N$405m loan

Staff Writer RMB Namibia has provided Telecom Namibia with a N$405 million loan to support the company’s plan to upgrade its network and expand connectivity. The seven-year loan will fund Telecom’s five-year strategy to improve infrastructure and increase access to internet and communication services across the country. Telecom Namibia chief executive officer Stanley Shanapinda said the aim is to improve access to services.  “Telecom’s key objective is to ensure that every citizen can access and use entertainment, communication, information, education, commerce, and online health services through fast, reliable, and affordable internet, voice, and data connectivity. The strategy is closely aligned…
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CDH appoints Nkuna as chief of operations

CDH appoints Nkuna as chief of operations

Staff Writer Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) has appointed Phetheni Nkuna as chief operating officer, effective 1 April. Nkuna will oversee operations across the firm’s offices in South Africa, Kenya and Namibia and support the integration of its African operations. She joined the firm in October 2020 as a director in the employment law practice and was appointed director of executive management in June 2023.  In that role, she managed several operational portfolios and worked with chief executive officer Brent Williams on the firm’s strategy. Nkuna holds LLB and LLM degrees, a certificate in advanced labour law, a postgraduate diploma in…
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Students invited to join stock market challenge

Students invited to join stock market challenge

Staff Writer The Namibian Scholars Investment Challenge has opened for registration, with trading set to begin on 5 May 2026. Registration opened on 16 March and will close on 17 April.  The competition will run until 30 October, giving students six months to trade on a simulated platform. Secondary school learners in Grades 10 to 12 and university students are invited to form teams of three to four members and take part. Each team will receive N$500 000 in virtual capital to invest in shares listed on the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX).  The aim is to grow the value of…
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The unexamined classroom: Why TVET trainers must reflect on gender bias narratives

The unexamined classroom: Why TVET trainers must reflect on gender bias narratives

Leena Kloppers In the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, classrooms and workshops are far from neutral spaces. They are the soil in which seeds of knowledge and skills are sown, shaped and fertilised by both the conscious and unconscious thoughts of TVET trainers and trainees.  One powerful set of assumptions relates to which trades are ‘suitable’ for different trainees. This assumption translates into real-world actions where trades such as welding, construction, and automotive mechanics are usually male-dominated, and other trades such as office administration, hairdressing, and cosmetology tend to be dominated by women. While gender may influence…
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