Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira  FirstRand Namibia Limited expects its earnings and headline earnings to increase by between 13% and 18% for the period ending 31 December 2025. In a trading statement issued under the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) listing rules, the group signalled improved performance compared to the prior period. The bank said growth was driven by expansion in its advances book, reflecting stronger lending activity and higher transactional volumes across the business.  It also recorded a lower impairment charge during the period. Interest expenses declined as the group relied less on institutional funding, supported by strong growth in customer deposits. The…

Staff Writer Businesses in Namibia are turning to alternative energy solutions as electricity tariffs rise and supply reliability remains a concern. Standard Bank Group market development lead and asset finance specialist for renewable energy and healthcare, Oliver Jugadasen, said the country’s energy environment is undergoing a structural shift. “The energy market is shifting toward decentralised generation, driven by rising utility costs, reliability concerns, and the global move toward cleaner electricity. For Namibia, this is not only an environmental conversation but an economic one,” he said. Jugadasen said falling solar panel prices and advances in technology have improved the financial case…

Staff Writer Namibia has moved forward with the development of a formal Brand Namibia strategy aimed at shaping how the country presents itself to the world. The initiative is led by the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology under minister Emma Theofelus. It seeks to strengthen Namibia's international standing and position the country as a destination for tourism, trade and investment. A two-day strategy development workshop was held in collaboration with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board. The session brought together stakeholders to help define a national brand that reflects Namibia's people, values and offerings. O&L Leisure hosted the…

Staff Writer The Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has recorded an effective implementation score of 73% under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety audit programme, exceeding both regional and global averages. The ESAF regional average stands at 61.2%, while the global average is 70.5%. A high-level delegation from the ICAO's Eastern and Southern African (ESAF) Office highlighted the achievement during a four-day visit from 17 to 20 February. The delegation was led by ICAO regional director for eastern and southern Africa, Lucy Mbugua. It included deputy regional director Richard Gatete and technical experts in environment, meteorology and safety implementation.…

Staff Writer MTC has invested more than N$30 million in sponsorships, with 13 current beneficiaries valued at N$19.3 million. The figures were shared during a sponsorship beneficiaries engagement workshop hosted by MTC in Windhoek on 16 February 2026. The workshop brought together sponsored partners for discussions on governance, brand alignment and sponsorship management. The session formed part of MTC’s efforts to strengthen accountability and improve the impact of its sponsorship portfolio. Representatives from the company’s events, communications, marketing and sponsorship departments provided guidance on brand management, media engagement, marketing alignment and financial processes linked to sponsored events. MTC currently supports…

Shetugwana Shipena Attending the 2026 Investing in African Mining Indaba reaffirmed the complex duality that continues to shape Africa’s mining landscape: significant growth potential coupled with persistent systemic challenges.  The tragic landslide in Rubaya in the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier this year, which resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives, cast a sobering tone over the week’s discussions. This incident highlighted, with unmistakable clarity, the urgent imperative for enhanced safety standards, more robust regulatory frameworks and a strengthened commitment to responsible and sustainable mining practices across the continent. Rain and wind on day zero disrupted logistics across…

Chamwe Kiara  The Bank of Namibia (BoN) says it is close to finalising agreements under its gold accumulation strategy as it moves to diversify the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Nicholas Mukasa, director of financial markets, said the central bank remains committed to the gold acquisition programme as part of efforts to strengthen economic stability amid global uncertainty. “We are fairly advanced in concluding the agreements that will allow us to execute the accumulation of gold. We are close; we are very advanced with the gold acquisition programme,” Mukasa said. He said the bank has engaged local mines and approved refineries…

Chamwe Kaira  Celsius Resources Limited will terminate its secondary listing on the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) after receiving approval from the exchange’s listings division. The company, registered in Namibia as an external company under Registration No. F/ACN 009 162 949 and trading on the NSX under the share code CER (ISIN: AU000000CLA6), said the decision forms part of a strategic shift in its operations. In a notice to shareholders, the board said the company’s primary focus is now in the Philippines and that maintaining a secondary listing on the NSX is no longer financially feasible. “The board of directors of…

Chamwe Kaira  SSnail farming is not common in the arid Erongo region, but Namsnails Farming (Pty) Ltd has established operations on the edge of the Namib Desert and aims to build a place in Namibia’s agricultural and export sector. Chief executive officer André Mouton said the company breeds Cornu aspersum maxima, known as Gros Gris, for the escargot market. “Our present installed capacity allows for approximately 100 to 150 tonnes of live hibernated snails per annum, with the ability to scale further as infrastructure is expanded,” Mouton said. He said production is currently focused on the local and regional market,…

Staff Writer The Chamber of Mines of Namibia has rejected remarks made by International Labour Organization (ILO) country director Philile Masuku during a recent public dialogue on decent work in the mining sector. The chamber said mining is capital-intensive and highly mechanised, which means it employs fewer people directly than sectors such as agriculture and fishing. It said this does not reflect the full employment impact of the industry. According to the 2023 Population and Housing Census Labour Force Report, 14 337 people were employed in mining and quarrying in 2023, representing 2.6% of employed Namibians.  The chamber said this…