Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) has received overwhelming public support for Starlink’s application to operate in Namibia as it continues to assess the satellite internet provider’s licence request. Cran said it received 1 180 written submissions by Friday, 12 December 2025.  Of these, 1 164 supported the application, while 16 opposed it. The regulator said both supportive and opposing submissions raised substantive issues that Starlink will need to address as part of the licensing process. According to Cran, the feedback reflects wide public interest in Starlink’s potential impact on Namibia’s telecommunications sector and the future of…

Staff Writer Anglo American plc and Teck Resources Limited have received regulatory approval from the government of Canada under the Investment Canada Act for their proposed merger, announced on 9 September. The merger will create Anglo Teck, a larger global critical minerals company with operations and projects across several regions, including South Africa. Following the merger, Anglo Teck said its subsidiaries operating in South Africa will continue to comply with all empowerment requirements and mining licence conditions. As part of its support for the junior mining sector, Anglo Teck plans to contribute N$600 million to South Africa’s Junior Mining Exploration…

Chamwe Kaira Simonis Storm has forecast steady but moderate growth for Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) over the next three years, driven by gradual subscriber growth and rising demand for data services. In a research note, analyst Max Rix said MTC’s net income is expected to increase from N$3.71 billion in the 2025 financial year to about N$4.7 billion by the 2028 financial year. This implies a compound annual growth rate of about 6%. The forecast is supported by an expanding active subscriber base, projected to grow from 2.32 million to around 2.55 million by the 2028 financial year.  Following the…

Chamwe Kaira Deep Yellow Limited is advancing a dual-pillar growth strategy aimed at building a globally diversified uranium producer with annual output of more than 10 million pounds. The company’s portfolio includes two advanced projects in Tier-1 mining jurisdictions.  These are the Tumas Project in Namibia and the Mulga Rock Project in Western Australia. Future growth is supported by a wider exploration portfolio. This includes the Alligator River Project in Australia’s Northern Territory and the Omahola Project in Namibia. Deep Yellow said it continues to assess opportunities to acquire additional assets that fit its strategy. The company said it is…

Staff Writer Investor confidence in South Africa has strengthened recently, supported by positive domestic and global developments, the South African Reserve Bank has said. These include South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, a more supportive fiscal outlook outlined in the 2025 medium-term budget policy statement, the formal adoption of a 3% inflation target, and an upgrade of the country’s foreign currency sovereign credit rating by S&P Global Ratings.  The rating upgrade was South Africa’s first in two decades. Easing global trade tensions and higher commodity prices, particularly for gold and platinum group metals, also supported…

Chamwe Kaira The Chamber of Mines of Namibia has released its monthly mining update for October, showing that the mining sector remained stable despite global economic uncertainty, weak industrial activity in key markets, and pressure on diamond and base-metal demand. The update shows that mining continues to play a central role in the national economy, supported by strong performance in gold and uranium. Global conditions in October reflected softer industrial output in China, ongoing trade tensions, and cautious investor sentiment.  Despite this, Namibia’s mining industry held steady, supported by record gold prices and continued growth in uranium production. Gold reached…

Chamwe Kaira Namibia recorded an increase in mobile broadband usage and steady performance across the information and communication technology sector in the third quarter of 2025, according to the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran). The total number of active SIM cards rose by 3% during the quarter, reversing the stability recorded in the previous period.  The growth was driven by a 3% increase in prepaid subscriptions, while postpaid subscriptions grew by 1%. “Mobile broadband usage rose by 6%, and dongle and router-based broadband subscriptions increased significantly by 30%, although from a relatively small base indicating renewed interest in fixed…

Chamwe Kaira Angola’s Ministry of Transport has launched a public tender for the concession to operate, manage, and maintain the Namibe Corridor, which includes plans for a future railway connection with Namibia. The tender invites interested bidders to submit proposals by 4 May 2026.  The concession will run for an initial period of 30 years, with the option to extend it to 50 years. The concession covers the Moçâmedes–Menongue railway line and includes rolling stock, railway infrastructure, workshops, and a training centre.  It also allows for the design and construction of new sections, extensions, and branch lines, including a rail…

Staff Writer  Westair Aviation, together with its aviation training subsidiary Signa Aviation, celebrated a historic milestone recently with the graduation of Namibia’s first group of Aviation Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) to complete both their trade test preparation and final assessments entirely within Namibia. The ceremony recognized 20 apprentices who completed 18 theory modules, and nine graduates who successfully completed the full skills test process and are now officially qualified AMEs. This marked the first time a Namibian Aviation Training Organisation (ATO) has delivered a complete trade test pathway locally. It is a breakthrough for the country’s aviation training landscape and an…

Staff Writer Artificial Intelligence Service Optimisation for Development (AISOD), a Namibian-registered artificial intelligence innovation and training organisation, has outlined its plans to position Namibia and Africa as leaders in ethical and locally developed AI systems. AISOD was founded in 2023 by Namibian technologist Joel Tiago. The organisation focuses on using artificial intelligence to improve service delivery, develop digital systems, and equip Namibians with technological skills suited to a changing economy.  Its work aligns with Namibia’s National AI and Digital Strategies and responds to the need for African-driven AI solutions. “Artificial intelligence must not be something Africa merely consumes,” said Tiago. …