Observer Money

Staff Writer  Shoprite Holdings increased merchandise sales from continuing operations by 7.2% to approximately N$270.8 billion in the 52 weeks ended 28 June 2026, adding about N$18.1 billion compared with the previous financial year. The retailer reported sales of N$252.7 billion for the 52 weeks ended 29 June 2025. Shoprite’s core Supermarkets RSA segment, which accounted for 84.5% of Group sales, increased sales by 7.1%, adding approximately N$15.2 billion year on year. The company said the segment opened a net 262 stores during the year, comprising 115 supermarkets, 93 liquor stores and 54 new-format stores, taking its corporate-owned and operated…

PARNALL SYLVESTER AUGUSTUS  There is a name for what happens when someone earns a salary, feels broke every month, and quietly stops checking their bank balance. Behavioural economists call it the Ostrich Effect. The idea is simple: when financial information feels threatening, people avoid it. Not because they are irresponsible. Because avoidance, in the short-term, works. The anxiety disappears the moment you close the app. The problem is that the balance does not disappear with it. Financial wellness has become a popular concept, and most definitions of it are correct in theory. The ability to meet monthly expenses without panic.…

IAN COFFEE  You are not wealthy. You do not own multiple properties. You have a steady job, some savings, and enough confidence to make a decision that many people spend years postponing. After searching for months, you find a modest two-bedroom townhouse in one of Windhoek’s established suburbs. It could be in Pionierspark, Hochland Park, Academia or Dorado Park, or anywhere you like. There is nothing particularly special about it. No luxury finishes. No swimming pool. No features that would make it stand out from dozens of similar homes. What it does offer is something much simpler. People will always…

CHAMWE KAIRA Namibia’s electricity and water subsector is expected to remain a key contributor to secondary industry growth in 2026, although its growth rate is projected to slow significantly from the strong performance recorded last year, according to the Bank of Namibia’s August 2026 Economic Outlook. The subsector grew by 12.6% in 2025 but is projected to expand by 4.9% in 2026 before moderating further to 3.5% in 2027. The central bank attributed the slowing growth trajectory partly to the anticipated impact of El Niño. Despite the moderation, the subsector is expected to remain resilient, supported by hydroelectric generation from…

CHAMWE KAIRA  Structural challenges, particularly delays in land servicing and the limited delivery of serviced plots, continue to constrain housing supply, while broader economic conditions hinder a more inclusive recovery in housing market participation. This is according to the latest FNB House Price Index, which shows that residential plot sales remained in contraction during the second quarter of 2026, although the pace of decline moderated. Plot sales fell by 26.7% year-on-year in the second quarter, compared with a 32.0% contraction in the first quarter and a 13.1% decline recorded in the second quarter of 2025. The weakness was broad-based, with…

Staff Writer Namibian Marine Phosphate (NMP) has received an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) for Mining Licence 170 and its Sandpiper Marine Phosphate Project, although the company says the approval does not allow mining to begin immediately. NMP said Namibia’s Environmental Commissioner notified the company that the application for the ECC had been approved. The certificate is valid for three years from the date of issue. The decision has also been communicated to stakeholders and registered Interested and Affected Parties by the project’s appointed environmental assessment practitioner. NMP said the project remains subject to the implementation of detailed environmental monitoring programmes…

Staff Writer Trustco Group Holdings Limited has advised shareholders to continue exercising caution when trading in the company’s securities as it progresses with its planned delisting from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX). In a cautionary announcement issued on Tuesday, Trustco said shareholders should remain cautious until a full delisting announcement is made. The company referred shareholders to previous announcements published through the Stock Exchange News Service (SENS), including its most recent announcement dated 29 June 2026, regarding the proposed delisting. Trustco has been pursuing plans to delist from its JSE primary listing, NSX secondary listing…

Staff Writer  TransNamib and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), a global shipping company and TransNamib client, have taken an important step towards expanding containerised cargo movement by rail, following a soft launch held at TransNamib’s WINCON Depot in Windhoek. The collaboration reflects MSC’s commitment to moving and growing container cargo on rail with TransNamib, with the immediate focus on utilising the WINCON facility to facilitate container cargo movements between Windhoek and Walvis Bay. TransNamib said the initiative is an important step towards strengthening intermodal freight solutions and increasing the movement of containerised cargo by rail.  Through the collaboration, TransNamib and MSC…

Staff Writer The Nedbank Go Green Fund awarded N$700 000 to three projects namely: the Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP); //Kharas Region Pilot Carbon Footprint Challenge, and Awareness Raising on Plant Poaching. These initiatives highlight an approach that integrates education, behavioural change and scientific capacity-building alongside conservation. The selected projects were evaluated based on their environmental relevance, community impact, sustainability potential and implementation capability. The KEEP programme, implemented by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), demonstrates the power of environmental education.  With more than 20 000 learners already reached, KEEP highlights a crucial insight: environmental responsibility is most effectively embedded when…

Staff Writer B2Gold Corp has received an exploitation permit from Mali for the Menankoto project, paving the way for the development of its Fekola Regional gold operations. The Menankoto Exploitation Permit was granted to B2Gold’s Malian subsidiary on 7 August. Together with the Dandoko exploration permit, Menankoto forms Fekola Regional, which the company has identified as a near-term source of production growth. Fekola Regional is located about 20 kilometres from B2Gold’s existing Fekola Mine in Mali. Under an agreement reached between B2Gold and the Malian government in September 2024, Fekola Regional will be owned 65% by B2Gold and 35% by…