Observer Money

Niël Terblanché The tourism sector has been placed firmly in the international spotlight with the launch of the “Tourism Doing Business Investing in Namibia” guidelines by UN Tourism. According to UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, the initiative is aimed at encouraging global investors to consider Namibia as a destination not only for travel but also for strategic, long-term investment in tourism development. He said the newly released guidelines provide a comprehensive overview of the country’s potential, detailing the current state of the economy, the steady rise in tourism arrivals, and favourable conditions for doing business. According to Pololikashvili, Namibia’s blend…

Niël Terblanché The Vrede Rede Primary School in Swakopmund has undergone upgrades to its infrastructure, thanks to a N$61 631 donation from uranium exploration company Deep Yellow Limited and its Namibian subsidiary, Reptile Mineral Resources and Exploration (RMR). The funds were used to repair cement walkways between classrooms and reconstruct a sports field for netball and soccer. According to RMR’s public relations officer, Sugnet Smit, the initiative was part of the company’s ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility and its aim to foster a safe and supportive learning environment for children. “Recognising that quality education is the foundation of a…

Niël Terblanché Less than a week after her appointment by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Finance and Social Grants Management, Erica Shafudah is set to present Namibia's 2025/26 national budget to the National Assembly on Thursday. Wilson Shikoto, the spokesperson for the finance ministry, said the prompt action stresses the government's commitment to addressing the nation's financial and developmental priorities without delay. “The upcoming budget will delineate the government's financial roadmap, encompassing revenue projections, expenditure plans, and borrowing strategies,” he said. Shikoto said that it would also outline key priorities aimed at steering the country's economic direction for the fiscal year…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A recent notice from the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) has raised concern within the business community about plans to deregister non-compliant businesses. Marius Nangolo, spokesperson for the Namibia Local Business Association (NALOBA), warned that the move could negatively affect small and medium enterprises (SMEs), many of which are already struggling. “There are quite a number of challenges that businesses are facing. One of the key issues is affordability, especially for SMEs. Another challenge is the lengthy registration process, and many businesses do not fully understand the process or the requirements to remain compliant,” Nangolo said. He…

Niël Terblanché In a move set to reshape Namibia's retail landscape, the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group has announced the reintroduction of its wholly Namibian-owned retail brand, Model, which will replace Pick n Pay Namibia on 1 July. During the announcement on Monday Sven Thieme, the executive chairman of the O&L Group said the strategic transition marks a return to the company's roots and a renewed commitment to delivering a uniquely Namibian shopping experience. The O&L Group’s retail journey with Model began in 1965 with a few grocery shops that grew into a chain of supermarkets in all major towns…

Niël Terblanché Namibia officially launched the Time Release Study (TRS) Report for the Trans-Kalahari Border Post on Thursday, which is another step towards improving trade efficiency and border management. The report, a product of collaboration between Namibian government institutions, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, and technical experts, seeks to identify and address bottlenecks in the clearance of goods and border operations. At the launch event in Windhoek, the Namibia Revenue Agency’s (NamRA) commissioner, Sam Shivute described the report as a tool that will help refine customs and trade facilitation measures in line with international best practices. “The TRS…

CHAMWE KAIRA  Namibia has the richest known marine diamond deposits in the world, with diamond resources estimated at approximately 75 million carats in approximately 1.0 million square kilometres of seabed. Marine diamond deposits represent around 80% of the partnership’s total diamond production and 94% of its diamond resources, based on the Anglo American 2024 Integrated Report. Anglo American owns De Beers.  De Beers operates via 50:50 joint operations with the Namibian government, recovering both land-based diamonds Namdeb and offshore mining Debmarine Namibia. Production in Namibia decreased by 4% to 2.2 million carats in 2024 (2023: 2.3 million carats), reflecting intentional action…

CHAMWE KAIRA  The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) chairperson, Nangula Hamunyela, has said Namport is following with keen interest the ongoing engagements on the developments of the Grootfontein to Katima Mulilo and Trans Kalahari rail links and is of the hope that these may move to fruition in the medium term. The Trans-Zambezi Railway will extend from Grootfontein to Katima Mulilo. The proposed Trans-Kalahari Railway between Namibia and Botswana will span from Mmamabula in Botswana to Walvis Bay. Namport has said the absence of rail connections to the key markets in Botswana and Zambia remains a major cause for concern, especially…

CHAMWE KAIRA  Standard Bank Namibia Holdings Limited has entered 2025 in a forceful position. The group’s 2025 strategic priorities continue to be transforming client experience and driving sustainable growth and value, the group said in financial results for the financial year ended 31 December 2024. “We have refreshed our current strategy and crafted bold ambition for our 2025–2028 horizon with clear ‘must win’ battles for each business unit.”  The board recommended a final ordinary dividend of 70 cents per share (2023: 58 cents per ordinary share).  Profit for the year increased by 36.8%, up from N$770 million to N$1.053 billion.…

Standard Bank Namibia Holdings Limited has appointed Zebra Karirondua Kasete as independent non-executive director of SBN Holdings Limited and Standard Bank Namibia Limited.   Kasete is currently the executive vice president for the Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter. He is a senior executive and metallurgist with an international MBA and 35+ years of global mining and metal experience across senior strategic, operational, and corporate roles including managing director, executive vice president and board roles in both Rio Tinto’s subsidiaries and Dundee Precious Metals (DPM).  He is experienced in diverse commodities like uranium, borates, talc, diamond, copper and gold and strengths in transforming companies,…