Observer Money

Anglo American has massively downgraded the value of De Beers on its balance sheet, suggesting a bargain might be in the offing for its many bidders. Which might make the sale easier and quicker, right? Of course, this is not an obvious conclusion, given that after nearly two years, the sale of the once-formidable diamond business is still dragging along, while the assault of lab-grown gems on the market has intensified. Take the fact that a third cut to De Beers’ value last year – from US$4.1bn to a miserable US$2.3bn – was largely to blame for parent Anglo American’s…

Staff Writer  The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has launched its Namibia country strategy paper for 2025–2030, with plans to support the creation of 25 000 jobs for young people and expand key infrastructure across the country. The strategy was launched in Windhoek this week and sets out priorities aimed at improving access to energy and water, strengthening skills development and supporting economic growth. Moono Mupotola, deputy director general for Southern Africa and country manager for Namibia at AfDB, said the strategy marks a new phase in the bank’s partnership with Namibia. “The launch of this country strategy paper marks…

Staff Writer The finance minister, Ericah Shafudah, says Namibia is at a turning point in its economic path and must work across sectors to drive development. Shafudah made the remarks at Standard Bank Namibia’s annual budget dialogue on Wednesday, where government, financial institutions and industry leaders discussed the 2026/27 national budget. She said the national budget should not be viewed only as a government document. “A national budget is not merely a government document but a national development instrument,” she said. Shafudah said its success depends on cooperation between governments, businesses, financial institutions and citizens. She said Namibia must use…

Chamwe Kaira  The recent increase in civil servant wages is expected to provide some support to household purchasing power and household credit demand in the near term, according to FNB Namibia economist Cheryl Emvula. “However, while these improvements may provide modest relief, they are unlikely to drive a substantial acceleration in household Private Sector Credit Extension (PSCE) growth. This is largely due to persistent structural constraints facing households such as sluggish income growth, elevated living costs, and limited affordability, pressures that remain particularly acute in the mortgage segment, which accounts for the largest share of household credit. As a result,…

Chamwe Kaira  Remgro Limited has sold additional shares in FirstRand Limited through on-market transactions, generating proceeds of about R4.88 billion. The South African investment holding company disposed of 51.97 million FirstRand shares between 2 February and 10 March 2026 at an average price of R93.87 per share. The sale forms part of Remgro’s process of reducing its remaining stake in the banking group. Remgro’s involvement with FirstRand began through its investment in RMB Holdings. In June 2020 the company unbundled its indirect interest in FirstRand through RMB Holdings but retained a direct stake of 3.92% in the bank. The company…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia’s mining sector has entered 2026 with support from strong commodity prices for gold, copper, zinc and tin, as well as continued momentum in uranium production. The Chamber of Mines of Namibia said in its January and February mining update that higher commodity prices are strengthening export earnings and government revenue. The chamber said elevated gold prices and firm copper fundamentals are improving cash flow for mining companies. “At the same time, uranium remains strategically important amid sustained global interest in nuclear energy, positioning Namibia favourably within the global energy transition landscape. Stronger base metal prices, particularly zinc…

Chamwe Kaira Namibia placed roughly in the middle of the global rankings in the Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2025 conducted by the Fraser Institute. The country’s overall investment attractiveness score was about 52.6, placing it 59th out of 84 jurisdictions assessed. The survey evaluates mining destinations worldwide based on mineral potential and policy attractiveness as perceived by mining executives. The results place Namibia in the middle of the global rankings. The survey notes that while the country has strong geological potential, policy concerns are affecting investor confidence. Mining executives who participated in the survey raised several issues related to…

Staff Writer  Africa recorded the highest aviation accident rate among global regions in 2025, according to the International Air Transport Association’s latest annual safety report. The region recorded seven accidents during the year. The accident rate improved from 12.13 accidents per million sectors in 2024 to 7.86 in 2025. Despite the improvement, Africa still recorded the highest accident rate globally. The figure remains below the region’s five-year average of 9.37 accidents per million sectors. Fatality risk in the region increased from zero in 2024 to 2.19 in 2025. The most common accident types were runway excursions and incidents classified as…

Chamwe Kaira  Retail conditions in Namibia are among the factors affecting profitability at regional supermarket group Choppies Enterprises Limited, which expects lower earnings for the six months ended 31 December 2025. Choppies Enterprises Limited expects its profit after tax from continuing operations to fall by between 28% and 38% for the six months ended 31 December 2025. The Botswana-based supermarket group said profit after tax from total operations is forecast to decline by between 4% and 14% compared with the same period last year. In a trading statement to the Botswana Stock Exchange and JSE Limited, the company said several regional…

Staff Writer  Namibian private equity firm Tulive Private Equity has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Tanzania to support the establishment of a carbon registry and carbon agency in Zanzibar. The agreement was signed on 26 February 2026 and forms part of the firm’s expansion into other African markets. The proposed carbon registry will create a system to collect carbon-related revenue from aviation and maritime operators transporting cargo and passengers to and from Zanzibar. Unlike traditional carbon credit or tax systems that focus on emissions produced within a country, the proposed registry will target operators whose air…