Observer Money

A farmer in Kenya gets weather and planting advice on a basic phone. A teacher in Nigeria uses a chatbot to help students catch up in math. South Africa’s revenue authority uses data analytics to better target tax audits. These are not futuristic examples from Silicon Valley. They are early signs of the broader transformation that artificial intelligence (AI) could bring to sub-Saharan Africa. AI will reshape the global economy. The question for Africa is whether it rides the wave or gets left behind. Our research shows AI’s promise, but it also points to significant risks and challenges. At current…

CHAMWE KAIRA Deep Yellow Limited has awarded two major civil and concrete construction contracts worth a combined figure of N$391million for its flagship Tumas uranium project in the Erongo region marking another step towards the project's planned final investment decision (FID) later this year. The company said the contracts form part of its project execution strategy aimed at securing critical construction capabilities ahead of major development activities while maintaining flexibility as it works towards an anticipated FID in the fourth quarter of 2026. Deep Yellow managing director and chief executive officer Greg Field said the contract awards represent another milestone…

CHAMWE KAIRA Savanna Beef Processors Limited reported a group loss of N$25.9 million for the financial year ended 28 February 2026, as the company continued with the commissioning and ramp-up of its newly completed abattoir and meat processing facility. According to the company’s audited financial results released on the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX), the group recorded an operating loss of N$30.9 million compared with an operating loss of N$13.2 million in the previous financial year. The group’s loss before taxation widened to N$42.1 million from a loss of N$1.2 million recorded in the prior year. A taxation benefit of N$16.2…

Staff Writer  The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) has invited Namibian businesses and companies with investment-ready projects to participate in the upcoming Namibia–Türkiye Trade Mission, aimed at strengthening trade and investment links between the two countries. The trade mission will bring together local companies and a visiting Turkish trade and investment delegation in Windhoek for business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) engagements. Hosted by the ministry of international relations and trade (MIRT) in partnership with the NIPDB, the mission will focus on renewable energy, textiles and leather processing, fisheries, infrastructure and construction, education, water purification, the automotive industry, and…

Staff Writer Ongwe Minerals Incorporated has announced that it will hold its annual general and special meeting on 20 August 2026 at its registered office in Vancouver, Canada, where shareholders will consider the company's annual business and special resolutions. Ongwe Minerals is a Canadian-listed gold exploration company focused on discovering and advancing gold deposits in Namibia. The company's management team previously played a key role in developing several of Namibia's major gold projects, including Osino Resources' Twin Hills and Eureka deposits, as well as the Otjikoto gold deposit, which was later acquired by B2Gold. The company's exploration activities are currently…

ABRAHAM EITA  In my recent article on the Bank of Namibia’s repo rate increase, I argued that monetary policy decisions are not just technical matters for economists and bankers. They affect households and borrowers. That discussion has become even more important as Windhoek residents now face another pressure point: the rising cost of basic municipal services. Windhoek is becoming more expensive to live in, and the burden is being felt most by ordinary residents. The Municipal Council of Windhoek has announced an average increase of 4% on services such as water, rates and taxes, sewerage, waste management, refuse removal and…

Nrupesh Soni For years, brands were told to be louder.Post more. Advertise more. Chase every trend. Hope people pay attention. The future of branding will not belong to the loudest brand. It will belong to the smartest one: the brand that understands its customers better, responds faster, communicates with more relevance, and builds trust more consistently. This is where Artificial Intelligence becomes important. Not because AI can fix a weak business, but because it is changing how brands think, plan, create, listen and serve. A brand today is not just a logo, slogan, billboard or social media page. A brand…

CHAMWE KAIRA Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd (ReconAfrica) has announced that it has successfully produced hydrocarbons to surface during production testing at its Kavango West 1X discovery well in northeastern Namibia, marking what the company describes as the first hydrocarbons ever produced to surface from an onshore well in the country. The Canadian oil and gas company, together with its partners BW Energy, which holds a 20% working interest, and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR), which holds a 10% carried working interest, commenced production testing operations at the well on 8 June 2026. ReconAfrica completed testing of three lower…

CHAMWE KAIRA The Governments of Botswana and Namibia are making progress on the planned Trans Kalahari Railway (TKR) Project, a strategic infrastructure initiative aimed at providing Botswana and the region with direct rail access to the Atlantic Ocean through the port of Walvis Bay. Botswana’s ministry of transport and infrastructure said the planned railway line will start north of the port of Walvis Bay in Namibia and run through to Botswana, creating an alternative transport route to support regional trade and logistics. The TKR is expected to complement existing road transport corridors by improving connectivity, reducing transport costs, easing congestion…

CHAMWE KAIRA The Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) recorded total trading activity worth N$94.9 million during the week ended 17 July 2026, with the financial sector accounting for the largest share of turnover. According to the NSX weekly trading statistics, a total of 1.8 million shares changed hands across 87 deals during the reporting period, generating a total traded value of N$94.9 million. The financial sector dominated market activity, recording trades valued at N$69.4 million from 1.48 million shares exchanged across 65 transactions. The sector had a free-float market capitalisation of N$1.39 trillion, making it the largest contributor to overall market…