Observer Money

Energy rang the opening bell at the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday. The company said the ringing of the bell was a milestone moment as it advances its portfolio amid rising industry momentum in the South Atlantic. - Photo: Sintana Energy

Chamwe Kaira Enoch Godongwana says South Africa has reached a turning point in managing its public finances. Delivering the 2026 National Budget in Parliament, Godongwana said the country had emerged from a period marked by state capture, credit rating downgrades, the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force. Public finances were under strain and economic growth had stalled. He said the government is committed to a reform agenda focused on stabilising debt, investing in infrastructure and improving the quality of spending. Gross debt is expected to stabilise at 78.9% of GDP in 2025/26 and…

Staff Writer Ultimate Safaris contributed more than N$18 million to community and conservation support in the Kunene region in 2025. More than N$10 million went to the Doro !Nawas Conservancy and the Doros Joint Management Area, a joint venture between the Sorris Sorris, Uibasen Twyfelfontein and Doro Nawas conservancies.  This included N$3 million in direct cash payments to conservancies through bed levies, N$6.7 million in salaries and employee benefits, and N$700,000 in conservation and community benefits. Ultimate Safaris managing director Tristan Cowley said the company is "extremely pleased to have been able to contribute in a way that is intended…

Staff Writer Nedbank Namibia has launched the 2026 Nedbank for Good Series, marking the return of its national golf initiative with a focus on agricultural development through sport. The series was first introduced in 2020. It has grown into a national platform that links golf tournaments to community support through charity partnerships. In partnership with Agra ProVision, proceeds from the tournament fund agricultural training in the northern, southern and eastern regions of Namibia. The programme also supports persons with disabilities. Agra ProVision became the beneficiary of the series in 2024. By the end of the 2025 edition, it had received…

Staff Writer Household purchasing patterns in Namibia are shifting as grocery prices and income limits change how people spend. A Windhoek-based basket tracking exercise, which monitors a fixed list of essential goods across major retailers, shows that the base price for groceries has moved higher. The exercise is not an official consumer price index, but it reflects what shoppers pay at the till, according to a study by Simonis Storm. In September 2025, the lowest-priced mainstream basket stood at N$978.58 at Shoprite Holdings Ltd outlets. It was the only major chain offering a basket below N$1000 that month. In October…

Staff Writer Spar Group Limited has announced the resignation of group chief executive officer Angelo Swartz, effective 28 February. Swartz has also stepped down as an executive director. Swartz served the group for 19 years and became Group CEO in October 2023. During his tenure, he focused on stabilising operations, simplifying the portfolio and strengthening the balance sheet. Chairman Mike Bosman said the board appreciates Swartz’s leadership and long service. He said Swartz guided the group through a period of complexity and change. The board said the company remains positioned to build on progress made and to accelerate execution of…

Staff Writer Dischem Pharmacies Limited reported group revenue growth of 10.1% for the 24-week period from 1 September 2025 to 16 February 2026, compared with the same period last year. Chief executive officer Rui Morais said performance was supported by the rollout of the redesigned loyalty platform, Better Rewards, which launched on 21 October 2025. The programme uses technology and customer data to reshape value delivery in healthcare retail. Morais said the strategy behind Better Rewards was to increase discount effectiveness through higher boost penetration and to explore new ecosystem funding channels. The goal is to sustain investment in customer…

Chamwe Kaira Tin producer Andrada Mining Limited has secured a N$48 million advance under an expanded exclusive offtake agreement with Thailand Smelting & Refining Co. Ltd (Thaisarco). Andrada announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Uis Tin Mining Company (Proprietary) Limited (UTMC), has extended its existing offtake agreement with Thaisarco, first signed in November 2023. Under the new terms, Thaisarco will advance US$3 million, about N$48 million, to UTMC. The advance is unsecured and interest-free. It is repayable at UTMC’s discretion, except in specific default situations. The funds are expected to be received this week. In return, Thaisarco has been granted…

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s offshore oil and gas discoveries are expected to shape investment expectations in 2026, but they are unlikely to bring immediate changes to the structure of the economy. Industry analysts describe the current period as one of positioning.  They say policy clarity, infrastructure readiness and final commercial decisions will determine whether discoveries move to production. Between 2021 and 2025, more than 15 offshore exploration wells were drilled in Blocks 2913B and 2913A. Operators included TotalEnergies SE, Shell plc, Galp Energia SGPS S.A., Chevron Corporation and partners such as Rhino Resources Namibia and BW Kudu Limited. Despite multiple discoveries,…

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s fiscal position for the 2025/26 financial year shows growing pressure on revenue and rising debt, with limited room for policy adjustment in the short term. The government has revised its revenue forecast downward from about N$92.6 billion to N$89.4 billion after weaker-than-expected collections from major tax and non-tax sources.  By mid-year, revenue collections stood at about N$36.6 billion, or 41% of the revised target. This falls below the usual mid-year benchmark of around 50%, pointing to deeper revenue weakness. Transfers from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) remain volatile, making fiscal planning difficult. Mining revenues have also…