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Chamwe Kaira  Pension funds remained the largest investors in the local market, with holdings worth N$18.6 billion in 2024.  Domestic investments attracted the highest allocations, followed by the common monetary area and offshore markets.  The increase in domestic assets was linked to regulation 13(2) of the Pension Funds Act, which requires pension funds to allocate a minimum of 45% of assets to the domestic market from 31 March 2029. “The focus on the local market prompted investment managers to rebalance their portfolios, shifting allocations towards fixed-income assets. This shift was largely driven by perceived illiquidity in the local equity market,”…

Chamwe Kaira  The tourism industry is expected to expand by 5.5% in 2025, generating N$4.6 billion in revenue. Growth will be supported by targeted marketing campaigns and better international connectivity. Hotels and restaurants are projected to surpass 2019 levels during the third-quarter peak season, highlighting tourism’s key role in the services sector.  Retail trade, which grew by 5.2% in the second quarter, is also likely to recover in the first half of the year if investment spending remains resilient, said Almandro Jansen, an analyst at Simonis Storm Securities. Jansen said Namibia’s challenge is to turn investment inflows and strong external…

Chamwe Kaira  Consumers received N$11.8 million from 87 complaints lodged against non-banking financial institutions with the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) in the 2025 financial year.  The payouts dropped from N$14.7 million in 2024. NAMFISA said its intervention contributed to the decline. The largest recoveries came from pension funds with N$7.2 million, followed by long-term insurance at N$3.1 million, short-term insurance at N$1.3 million, medical aid funds at N$149 534, microlending at N$55 554, and capital markets at N$24 659. “Despite the decrease in almost all the industries when compared with 2023, the complaints against the long-term insurance industry,…

Chamwe Kaira  FNB Namibia is positioning itself as an early financial partner to the country’s emerging oil and gas sector.  The industry is expected to reshape Namibia’s growth outlook and create significant financing opportunities over the next decade. For FNB, this is a strategic move to expand revenues and diversify beyond its traditional retail and corporate lending model.  “The ability to provide project financing, working capital, and bespoke solutions across the value chain could materially expand revenues,” said Max Rix, an analyst at Simonis Storm Securities. Rix said supply chain financing and cash-management solutions are likely to become critical for…

The global financial crisis of 2008 froze the financial system. Banks pulled back credit, families tightened their belts and companies laid off workers. It was a frightening time for everyone and an extremely difficult moment for the financial services industry. Today, the landscape of finance is quite different. Different types of investors and firms are providing businesses, consumers and governments with credit and liquidity. More than a billion more people have access to credit thanks largely to newer tech-based lenders. Families also have more options to finance purchases and to diversify retirement portfolios. Equity, fixed income, and derivatives markets have…