Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira  The Bank of Namibia’s (BoN) stock of international reserves increased by 13.6% in April to N$58.8 billion, supported by inflows from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Customer Foreign Currency (CFC) placements. The reserve level translated into an estimated import cover of 3.7 months. Excluding oil and gas exploration and appraisal-related imports, the cover stood at 4.1 months. At the end of April, reserves were estimated to be 10.5 times the value of currency in circulation. The Bank of Namibia said this level remains sufficient to support the peg between the Namibian dollar and the South African…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia’s mining sector sustained more than 166 000 direct and indirect jobs in 2025, while major uranium, gold, copper and critical mineral projects continued to move toward development. According to figures released by the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, the sector supported 20 798 direct jobs during the year. Indirect employment reached 145 586 jobs across the broader economy. The chamber’s member companies employed 8 201 people in permanent positions, with Namibians filling 97% of these roles.  Contractor employment rose to 11 577 jobs as mining projects continued to advance across the country. The industry also made a…

Chamwe Kaira  Telecommunications and financial stocks drove gains on the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) during the week of 25 to 29 May 2026, helping offset losses recorded across several other sectors. The overall benchmark index edged down by 0.10%, while the JSE all share index declined by 0.40%, reflecting cautious sentiment across regional markets. The NSX local index remained largely unchanged, rising by 0.01% during the week. Telecommunications recorded the strongest growth, rising by 137.05%. Financials followed with a gain of 251.50%, making the sector one of the main contributors to market activity during the week. Basic materials also recorded…

Staff Writer Industries, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse, will participate as a panellist at Manufacturing Indaba 2026, which will take place from 14 to 15 July in Johannesburg, South Africa. The event brings together industry leaders, policymakers, investors, innovators and manufacturers to discuss industrialisation and economic growth across Africa. According to the organisers, Amutse’s participation highlights the economic relationship between Namibia and South Africa, which is supported by the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) free trade agreements. The organisers said trade initiatives between the two countries continue to focus on industrialisation, improved…

Staff Reporter  The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) has appointed a new board to provide strategic direction and governance oversight for the regulator. Brian Masule will serve as chairperson of the board, while Selma Ambunda has been appointed deputy chairperson following her reappointment. Other members of the board are Veneranda Shoombe, Damoline Muruko and Jacob Nyambe. Namfisa said the board will oversee the authority’s strategic direction, governance and the effective management of its affairs in the public interest. The regulator said the board plays an important role in promoting financial stability, market integrity, consumer protection and sound governance within…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia’s inflation outlook for 2026 remains under pressure, with rising transport costs and global geopolitical tensions expected to push prices higher in the months ahead. This is according to FNB Namibia economists Cheryl Emvula and graduate analyst Ndateelela Amukushu in their April 2026 consumer price index (CPI) review. The analysts said cost-related factors are expected to remain the main drivers of inflation. They warned that higher transport costs and ongoing global tensions could increase inflationary pressures across the economy. They said food inflation is likely to remain relatively contained in the short term. However, rising fuel prices and…

Staff Writer The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) remains one of Africa’s strongest tools for driving economic growth and strengthening the continent’s ability to withstand global economic shocks. This is according to Stellenbosch Business School guest lecturer in corporate and development finance Jason Hamilton, who said AfCFTA will play a key role as Africa is projected to become the world’s fastest-growing economic region in 2026. Hamilton said ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have created opportunities for Africa to offer alternative trade routes, markets and investment destinations. He said AfCFTA, which is creating the world’s largest trading…

Charity Jeftha A diverse workforce is far more than a collection of visible differences. Too often, diversity is reduced to what we can see, such as race, gender, age, or disability. But true diversity runs deeper. It reflects the richness of people’s unique lived experiences, their perspectives, their thinking styles, and the values they bring to the workplace.  In the Namibian context, a genuinely diverse workforce is one that embraces every person as they are, the full human being behind the credentials, job title, or demographic category. When individuals feel their differences are not merely tolerated but valued, they are…

Chamwe Kaira Stimulus Investments Limited has agreed to sell its 50% stake in Khomas Solar Saver for N$155.7 million after receiving unconditional approval from the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC). The company said the transaction includes the sale of its full shareholding in Khomas Solar Saver, as well as related loan claims, to Sedgeley Solar Management. Sedgeley Solar Management already owns the remaining 50% stake in the business. Stimulus said the agreement was subject to several conditions before the transaction could proceed, with approval from the competition commission being the main requirement. Following the approval, the transaction is expected to take…

Chamwe Kaira Andrada Mining Limited has secured conditional debt financing of N$98 million from two Namibian financial institutions to support expansion at its Uis mine and ongoing drilling at its Lithium Ridge project. The company said the funding will come through 10-year loan facilities provided by Bank Windhoek and Development Bank of Namibia (BoN). The loans will be channelled through its subsidiary, Uis Tin Mining Company. The financing package consists of two equal tranches of N$49 million each. Andrada said the debt funding complements the company’s US$11 million equity raise completed in April 2026 to support growth projects. The company…