Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira  The Chamber of Mines of Namibia has expressed concern over Namibia’s significant deterioration in the 2025 Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies, warning that the results highlight the urgent need to safeguard policy certainty and investor confidence in the country’s mining sector. The Chamber of Mines of Namibia says the country has lost ground in the 2025 Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies. The chamber said the results show a decline in investor confidence and highlight the need for policy certainty. “Namibia’s decline in the Investment Attractiveness Index signals that investor perceptions of our mining policy…

Staff Writer  Standard Bank Namibia has launched the 2026 Blue Growth Series, expanding the programme to support about 80 micro, small and medium enterprises. The programme was launched in Windhoek this week. It is run in partnership with the Namibia Investment and Finance Academy. The number of businesses supported has doubled from the first edition. The event brought together policymakers, financial sector leaders and selected entrepreneurs. Deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture, Dino Ballotti said a strong business environment is needed for entrepreneurs to grow. He said access to finance, mentorship, and support systems are keys.…

Staff Writer  The Capricorn Foundation has launched the Vocational Graduate Entrepreneurship Programme in Swakopmund. The programme is run in partnership with Unmatched Potential – Business Box Namibia. It targets technical and vocational education and training (TVET) graduates and aims to equip them with business skills, mentorship and practical experience. In the first phase, 20 graduates from the Erongo Region will be selected. Applicants must have completed an accredited TVET qualification at level 3 or 4 within the past one to five years. The programme will run for three months. Participants will receive training aimed at linking technical skills to business…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) has engaged stakeholders on how transactions involving the sale or transfer of mineral and petroleum licences should be taxed and regulated. The discussions come as Namibia sees increased activity in the oil sector following discoveries in the Orange Basin. NamRA commissioner Sam Shivute said the current legal framework still applies to these transactions. He said concerns raised during the engagement will be reviewed and submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises. The Chamber of Mines of Namibia said tax on share sales linked to licences should be based on profits. Chamber of…

Magano Erkana and Nhika Vassallo  Exciting times are under way in Namibia with the new Namibia National Digital Strategy 2025–2029 (NDS), dubbed “The Framework for Digital Transformation”. This represents a bold, comprehensive roadmap to harness digital technologies for economic growth, social inclusion and societal advancement.  Unveiled by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, the strategy aligns other state policies, addressing longstanding challenges like inadequate infrastructure, digital skills gaps and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has released the Namibia National Digital Strategy 2025–2029 (NDS). The NDS is a roadmap to harness digital technologies for economic growth,…

Mark and Dan Saltzman, the sons of Dis-Chem founders Lynette and Ivan Saltzman, have sold shares in the company for over R600 million. The brothers each sold shares worth roughly R321 million from January to February of this year. The brothers both received shares in the company worth billions in June 2025 following a major shift in the family’s holding structure. The brothers received 217 million in shares in the company last year, which represented around a quarter of the JSE-listed company that was founded by their parents in 1978. Prior to the shift, the family’s investment vehicle, Ivlyn, held…

Chamwe Kaira  Anglo American plc has announced a major move in the debt capital markets, with its financing arm, Anglo American Capital plc, successfully pricing a multi-tranche bond issuance valued at a total of US$2.3 billion. The offering consists of three sets of senior notes with varying maturities and interest rates. These include US$600 million in notes due in 2031 carrying a 4.625% coupon, US$700 million in notes due in 2033 at 5.0%, and a further US$1 billion in notes due in 2036 with a 5.25% coupon. The issuance is expected to be finalised this week. The proceeds from the…

Chamwe Kaira  Despite delays in major projects and limited public spending, Namibia's construction sector has begun to show signs of recovery in 2026. A report by Simonis Storm indicates that activity improved after a slow start to the year. The report says structural challenges continue to affect the sector. These include delays in green hydrogen and oil and gas projects, limited fiscal space and shortages of serviced land. In Windhoek, building activity increased in February. A total of 163 building plans were approved, up from 109 in January. This is a 49.5% increase. Compared to February 2025, approvals rose by…

Chamwe Kaira  Vehicle sales increased in February, showing stronger demand in the market. A total of 1 165 vehicles were sold during the month. This is a 4.1% increase compared to February 2025 and a 15.9% rise from January’s 1 005 units. A report by Simonis Storm said the figure is the strongest February performance since 2016. Total sales for January and February reached 2,170 units, up 4.1% from the same period last year. Passenger vehicles drove the increase. Sales rose to 582 units in February from 495 in January. This figure is a 17.6% increase. Compared to February 2025,…

Chamwe Kaira  Pay-TV subscriptions declined in Namibia during the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting changing consumer behaviour. Subscriptions dropped by 6%, from 147 508 in the third quarter to 138 109 in the fourth quarter. A report by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) shows that the decline may be linked to competition from streaming platforms, the end of major sports seasons and cost pressures on consumers. Broadcasting revenue also fell by 2% during the same period. Advertising revenue remained stable and accounted for 12% of total revenue. The report shows mixed performance across telecommunications, broadcasting and postal services.…