Observer Money

Staff Writer  On the outskirts of Addis Ababa, 30-year-old Behailu Seboka, founder of Askema Engineering, manufactures brake pads from discarded slaughterhouse materials.  What began as a university project now employs 268 people and serves 6 400 customers across Ethiopia. “With the right support, we can prove that the circular economy is not only good for the environment but also for business,” he said. Askema Engineering, an exhibitor at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), shows how African innovation, supported by policy and investment, can become an industrial and export-ready asset.  Across the continent, companies like…

Chamwe Kaira  Andrada Mining Limited has announced that JLE Newco Ltd, a company registered in Lichfield, United Kingdom, has acquired a 5% shareholding in the company.  The acquisition follows an internal restructuring within the corporate group of the ultimate beneficial owner. According to a regulatory filing submitted to the UK Financial Conduct Authority, JLE Newco now holds 83.7 million voting rights, representing 5% of Andrada Mining’s total issued share capital.  The transaction crossed the reporting threshold on 14 October 2025, and the company was notified on the same day. The filing asserts that no other entity controls JLE Newco, nor…

Chamwe Kaira  Curro Holdings Limited has announced progress in the planned acquisition of all its issued shares by Jannie Mouton Stigting, which will lead to the company’s delisting from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange once the transaction is finalised. Curro released an update this week, confirming that they have met most of the suspensive conditions outlined in the circular to shareholders.  The company has secured all necessary regulatory and third-party approvals, with the exception of clearance from the competition authorities, to whom it made submissions in September. The company confirmed that approvals have been received from its debt funders, including Standard…

Staff Writer  FirstRand Limited has acquired a 20.1% stake in Channel VAS Investments Limited, trading as Optasia, one of the world’s largest artificial intelligence-driven fintech platforms serving emerging markets. The deal comes as Optasia prepares for its initial public offering and marks a strategic move by FirstRand to expand its reach in digital financial services and financial inclusion. Optasia operates in 38 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, providing financial access to millions of underbanked and unbanked consumers.  Using mobile data and AI, the company enables microloans and digital financial products at scale, allowing consumers to access credit…

Staff Writer  Standard Bank Namibia will host its first Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Breakfast Connect on 31 October under the theme “Building Resilience: One Brick at a Time.”  The event will bring together industry leaders, risk professionals, and community stakeholders to discuss institutional resilience while raising funds for the bank’s Buy-a-Brick initiative, which supports low-income families in securing permanent housing. Paulina Iiyambo, senior manager for IT audit at Standard Bank Namibia, said the breakfast reflects the bank’s belief that governance, risk and compliance are strategic enablers of sustainable growth.  “To be truly effective, these disciplines must operate in concert,…

Chamwe Kaira Namibia has been ranked 17th in RMB’s 2025/26 Where To Invest In Africa report. The report describes the country’s economy as “stuck in neutral”, citing low investment levels, a persistent current account deficit, and slow productivity growth. RMB said Namibia’s economic path toward prosperity may depend on the development of its recent offshore oil and gas discoveries. The government believes these discoveries could lift growth to 8% within a decade. The report notes that Namibia remains one of the world’s most unequal countries, alongside South Africa. It recorded strong scores for economic stability, investment climate, market accessibility, and…

Staff Writer  The Old Mutual Investment Group Namibia (OMIGNAM) has appointed Sara Mezui Engo as chief investment officer of unlisted investments, effective immediately. Mezui Engo brings over 16 years of experience in investment management across listed and unlisted markets.  She has held roles at RMB Asset Management, now Momentum Investments, EMH Prescient Investment Management, and Liquid Africa, now Enko Capital.  Most recently, she worked at the Government Institutions Pension Fund of Namibia (GIPF), where she led the global alternative investments programme, investing in private equity, private credit, property and infrastructure. Her appointment marks a key step for OMIGNAM in strengthening…

Staff Writer The creation of 500 000 jobs remains one of Namibia’s biggest challenges as the country struggles to turn economic growth into meaningful employment. Speaking at the inaugural Namibia Public-Private Forum (NAMPPF) recently held in Windhoek, Bank of Namibia (BoN) governor Johannes !Gawaxab said that while the economy has grown over the years, this growth has not translated into job creation.  He was addressing a high-level panel discussion titled “From Vision to Action: Delivering on Namibia’s Jobs Agenda.” “The central question before us is how Namibia will deliver on the audacious but necessary target of creating 500 000 quality…

Chamwe Kaira Agra has posted its strongest financial performance in its 45-year history, with profit after tax reaching N$115.1 million for the year ended 31 July 2025, up 56.7% from the previous year.  Total revenue rose by 5.5% to N$2.8 billion, while gross profit increased by 9.2% to N$556.3 million. Operating profit grew by 43.7% to N$155.4 million. “These results reflect improved margins, disciplined cost control, and strategic expansion,” the company said. Agra’s share price increased by 4.9% to N$3.85 as of 31 July 2025, delivering a total return of 11%, including dividends.  The company’s net asset value rose to…

Chamwe Kaira Clicks ClubCard loyalty members across Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini received N$855 million in cashback over the past year, bringing total rewards paid to customers over the last three decades to N$7.5 billion. The Clicks ClubCard, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, grew active membership to 12.6 million and contributed 82.6% of total sales at Clicks stores.  The Clicks Group, which operates 27 stores in Namibia, said while improvements in South Africa’s macroeconomic indicators are encouraging for retail spending over the medium term, consumer sentiment and discretionary spending remain under pressure. The group said it…