Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira As the 2025/26 maize marketing year approaches its close in April 2026, South Africa’s maize exports continue, but at a slower pace than expected. Economist Wandile Sihlobo said recent trade data shows exports have not moved as quickly as anticipated. “I was looking at South Africa’s grain trade data and thought I’d make a few remarks about the slow pace of exports based on recent trends,” Sihlobo said in his February analysis on South African maize trade. More than two-thirds of maize exports this season have gone to countries in the Southern African region. Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and…

Mally Likukela Minister of Finance, Hon. Erica Shafuda announced last week that she will present the national Budget 2026-27 on Thursday, February 26.  Understanding the budget speech First and foremost, citizens must understand that the budget statement is not “The Budget” as is commonly known, but it is just one of the documents in a set of several other documents that the Minister presents (or tables) to Parliament. The Budget Speech together with other documents is aimed to explain the Government’s plan for revenue, spending, borrowing and taxation down to the last dollar.  Structure of the budget speech To be…

Staff Writer Old Mutual has appointed Pieter Moller as head of broker distribution within its personal finance business. His appointment takes effect on 1 March 2026. Moller has experience across the financial services sector. His career includes roles in distribution leadership, business development, strategic partnerships and operations.  He previously held senior positions at Old Mutual, including head of distribution: retail mass market, chief operating officer and head of business development at Old Mutual Investment Group Namibia, and retail advice centre manager. He holds a BA (Law), an LLB and an MBA. He has also completed executive programmes in management and…

Staff Writer SPAR Group Limited has confirmed it has been served with a summons linked to alleged claims arising from the SAP implementation at its KwaZulu-Natal distribution centre. The amount claimed now exceeds the initial R5 million. The group said most affected KZN retailers have reached amicable settlements, and service levels at the distribution centre have stabilised. SPAR has revised its SAP rollout strategy. It will now focus on capability enablement instead of distribution centre integration. During the current financial year, the finance function will move to a single SAP environment with one unified chart of accounts. For the 18…

Chamwe Kaira  Tourism revenue is expected to remain above N$3.5 billion in 2026 as Namibia strengthens its premium, experience-driven positioning in global travel markets, according to the Simonis Storm economic outlook for 2026. The report says the services sector continues to provide stability, with growth of around 4%, supported in part by the resilience of tourism. Namibia’s economy is entering 2026 in a different position from the immediate post-shock recovery years. The focus has shifted from rebound to consolidation, as policymakers and investors navigate a more stable but constrained growth environment. Headline projections from the Bank of Namibia, the IMF…

Chamwe Kaira  The Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) recorded gains across most indices for the week of 16–20 February 2026, with the Overall Index rising 2.35% to close at 2 360.07 points. The index gained 54.17 points from 2,305.90 the previous week. Since December 2025, it has increased 10.21% from 2 141.33. It is trading just below its 2026 high of 2 366.23. The year’s low stands at 2 154.64. The dividend yield is 3.38%. The Local Index edged up 0.07% to 814.96 points, gaining 0.55 points from 814.41 a week earlier. Since December 2025, the index has risen 0.89%. It…

Chamwe Kaira  FirstRand Namibia Limited expects its earnings and headline earnings to increase by between 13% and 18% for the period ending 31 December 2025. In a trading statement issued under the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) listing rules, the group signalled improved performance compared to the prior period. The bank said growth was driven by expansion in its advances book, reflecting stronger lending activity and higher transactional volumes across the business.  It also recorded a lower impairment charge during the period. Interest expenses declined as the group relied less on institutional funding, supported by strong growth in customer deposits. The…

Staff Writer Businesses in Namibia are turning to alternative energy solutions as electricity tariffs rise and supply reliability remains a concern. Standard Bank Group market development lead and asset finance specialist for renewable energy and healthcare, Oliver Jugadasen, said the country’s energy environment is undergoing a structural shift. “The energy market is shifting toward decentralised generation, driven by rising utility costs, reliability concerns, and the global move toward cleaner electricity. For Namibia, this is not only an environmental conversation but an economic one,” he said. Jugadasen said falling solar panel prices and advances in technology have improved the financial case…

Staff Writer Namibia has moved forward with the development of a formal Brand Namibia strategy aimed at shaping how the country presents itself to the world. The initiative is led by the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology under minister Emma Theofelus. It seeks to strengthen Namibia's international standing and position the country as a destination for tourism, trade and investment. A two-day strategy development workshop was held in collaboration with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board. The session brought together stakeholders to help define a national brand that reflects Namibia's people, values and offerings. O&L Leisure hosted the…

Staff Writer The Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has recorded an effective implementation score of 73% under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety audit programme, exceeding both regional and global averages. The ESAF regional average stands at 61.2%, while the global average is 70.5%. A high-level delegation from the ICAO's Eastern and Southern African (ESAF) Office highlighted the achievement during a four-day visit from 17 to 20 February. The delegation was led by ICAO regional director for eastern and southern Africa, Lucy Mbugua. It included deputy regional director Richard Gatete and technical experts in environment, meteorology and safety implementation.…