Observer Money

Staff Writer  FNB Namibia has been named the Best Foreign Exchange Bank in Namibia in Global Finance magazine’s 26th Annual World’s Best Foreign Exchange Banks awards. The recognition forms part of the Gordon Platt Foreign Exchange Awards 2026, which honours banks for their performance in foreign exchange markets. Global Finance’s annual awards programme covers 87 countries, territories and districts, seven global regions and several global categories. The programme recognises institutions that perform well in foreign exchange services. Ian Erlank, head of global markets at RMB Namibia, said the award reflects the group’s work in foreign exchange services. “This award reflects…

Staff Writer  Namibia has reaffirmed its commitment to support women in aviation during the Women in Aviation Namibia summit held in Windhoek. The event brought together participants from government, industry, academia and civil society to discuss ways to increase women’s participation in the aviation sector. In a statement delivered by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia will continue aligning national policies with regional and international frameworks that promote gender equality. “We will continue aligning national policies with regional and international frameworks promoting gender equality, including our obligations under SADC and the African Union,” she said. The president…

Chamwe Kaira  Platz am Meer in Swakopmund made its first earnings contribution to Oryx Properties in the group’s interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2025. Oryx acquired the shopping centre on 30 June 2025. The company said the results were supported by disciplined capital management and the first-time contribution from Platz am Meer. The group increased its interim distribution by 11.4% to 58.50 cents per linked unit. Net rental income grew by 16.8%. The interest cover ratio remained at 2.2 times.  Over the 12 months to 31 December 2025, Oryx recorded a total annualised return of 13.1%.…

Chamwe Kaira  Nictus Holdings Limited has advised shareholders that it expects higher earnings for the six months ended 31 December 2025. In a trading statement issued in line with the Namibian Securities Exchange listing requirements, the company said earnings per share (EPS) are expected to range between 62.65 cents and 74.39 cents for the period. This represents an increase of between 6.77% and 26.77% compared with the 58.68 cents reported for the six months ended 31 December 2024. Nictus said headline earnings per share (HEPS) are expected to be between 62.18 cents and 73.76 cents. This reflects an increase of…

Chamwe Kaira  Deep Yellow Limited says it continues to monitor developments in the global uranium market as it advances its flagship Tumas uranium project in Namibia. The company said supply and demand imbalances and growing interest in nuclear energy remain key factors influencing the timing of a final investment decision for the project. During the six months ended 31 December 2025, Deep Yellow focused on its strategy to position itself as a diversified uranium producer. Work during the period included progress on the Tumas Project in Namibia, metallurgical test work and feasibility studies at the Mulga Rock Project in Western…

Staff Writer  Hollard Namibia has launched Hollard Gap Cover as private healthcare costs continue to rise faster than inflation and salary growth. Medical aid often covers basic healthcare costs but does not always settle the full cost of services. “When this happens, members may face shortfalls between what their medical aid pays and what healthcare providers charge, leaving families to cover the difference out of pocket,” the company said. The company said these shortfalls can become more common as healthcare costs increase and medical aid funds try to balance affordability and the sustainability of benefits. Hollard Gap Cover is designed…

Staff Writer   Namibia Health Plan (NHP), the largest medical aid fund in Namibia with about 80 000 members, says it will place a stronger focus on preventative healthcare to protect member health before illnesses become severe and costly to treat. The fund said it is seeing more cancer cases, including among younger people, as well as rising mental health conditions linked to stress. This approach forms part of NHP’s strategy to move beyond the traditional role of paying medical claims and to support members through early detection, wellness education, health risk management and timely intervention. NHP’s preventative healthcare programme includes…

Chamwe Kaira  The JSE Limited has reported record financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025, with net profit after tax exceeding R1 billion for the first time. Net profit after tax rose 16.7% to R1.07 billion from R918 million in 2024. Headline earnings per share increased 17.7% to 1,328.9 cents from 1,128.6 cents the previous year. Earnings before interest, tax and depreciation increased by 15.5% to R1.38 billion. Return on equity improved to 22.0% from 20.2% in 2024. The exchange generated net cash from operations of R1.23 billion, up 12.3% from the previous year. The board increased the…

It would be difficult to overstate the degree to which the global trading environment has deteriorated in early 2026. What began as a series of distinct geopolitical tensions – the protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict, deepening US-China rivalry, and the steady ratcheting up of protectionist trade measures – has now converged into a single, compounding set of risks.  The US-led military strikes on Iran in late February and Tehran’s subsequent declaration of war have added a volatile and unpredictable dimension to an already fragile global order. For a small, open, commodity-exporting economy like Namibia, these developments are not abstract.  They transmit directly…