Observer Money

CHAMWE KAIRA  DP World has opened a state-of-the-art temperature-controlled distribution facility in Walvis Bay, enhancing Namibia’s cold chain capabilities to meet rising demand for food service supply on the coast. The US$2 million investment underscores DP World’s commitment to driving trade efficiency and economic growth in the region. As the new home of Seapride Food Coastal, the facility, located at Deep Catch Namibia’s Atlantic Commercial Cold Store (ACCS) premises, features 720 pallets and will increase storage and occupational resources capacity for the service by 50%. Along with a new office building, it will significantly enhance food service capacity for the…

Presidency announced this week that President Nandi-Ndaitwah has committed to reviving the national airline, Air Namibia through well-intentioned strategic measures aimed at avoiding past mistakes. The Government intends to pursue this initiative using a sustainable business model with a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach to provide a sound business case. A market study is expected to be completed by June, the expression of interest for a Public-Private Partnership is to be finalised by August, negotiations should be concluded by December 2025 and the launch and official operations of the new airline are anticipated between June and December 2026. In light of…

CHAMWE KAIRA  Namibia Breweries Limited will pay an ordinary dividend of 157 cents per share. The company said this decision underscores NBL’s financial health, commitment to delivering shareholder value, and confidence in the group’s strategic direction for sustained growth, the company said in the annual financial results for the year ended December 2024.  The company explained that following the transaction between NBL, Distell Namibia and Heineken on 17 April 2023, NBL became a subsidiary of Heineken Beverages Holdings. As paAs part of this transition, NBL shifted its financial year-end to December to conform to the Heineken reporting cycle. The company…

CHAMWE KAIRA  The profit of Nictus Holdings Limited after tax increased to N$31 million in the six months ending 31 December 2024, compared to N$25 million in 2023.  Operating profit for the six months ended 31 December 2024 decreased to N$37 million, compared to N$39 million in the same period in 2023. Ordinary dividends of 35 cents per share (N$18.7 million) were declared on 19 September 2024 and paid by the company on 4 November 2024. No interim dividend has been proposed by the board of directors. “During the first six months of the year, the Group achieved a 21%…

CHAMWE KAIRA  FNB Namibia is of the view that the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Namibia will maintain the repo rate at 6.75% in 2025. Any unforeseen strain on reserves may lead the BoN to adjust the interest rate differential in the second half of 2025, especially if global currency and trade risks materialise, FNB Namibia economists Cheryl Emvula and Helena Mboti have said. The two economists said like other central banks managing similar uncertainties, the central bank will remain data dependent in 2025, closely monitoring global, regional, and domestic macro trends as they materialise.  The economists stated…

Wandile Sihlobo South African farmers typically till their land from mid-October in the eastern regions and mid-November in the western regions. The crops that South African farmers plant in each of these regions differ. The eastern areas are primarily yellow maize and soybeans, while the western regions are predominantly white maize and sunflower seeds. But this year, the plantings have been slightly slower than usual as we haven’t received meaningful rains yet. If you talk to farmers in rural regions of Limpopo or outside eKomani in the Eastern Cape, they will tell you that the impact of the mid-summer drought…

Niël Terblanché The Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek welcomed a new direct air link to Munich when Discover Airlines launched its first scheduled flight between the two cities on Tuesday. Marco Goetz, Chief Commercial Officer of Discover Airlines, said in a statement on Wednesday that the new route offers Windhoek its only direct connection to Munich, operated three times a week throughout the year. He added that the first flight between the two cities, Flight 4Y142, departed Munich Airport on Tuesday night and touched down in Windhoek on Wednesday morning. “Flights will initially depart from Windhoek on Wednesdays, Fridays,…

Niël Terblanché The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has reported robust growth for the 2023/24 financial year, with its asset value increasing to N$167 billion, up from N$151 billion the previous year. The figures were presented on Tuesday during the launch of the fund’s 2024 Integrated Annual Report (IAR) in Windhoek. The GIPF’s chief executive officer and principal officer, Martin Inkumbi, said the fund had successfully navigated uncertainties and continues to grow and meet its obligations whilst having consideration for the GIPF’s future performance and prospects. He added that the IAR reflects the fund’s financial and non-financial performance from 1…

Allexer Namundjembo The Bank of Namibia (BoN) embraced the collection of data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to build forecasting models for predicting non-performing loans and improving board pack assessments. This was revealed by the central bank’s governor, Johannes !Gawaxab, during the launch of the 2022-2024 annual report on Monday. “In addition to the broader use of digital tools, local and foreign government payments were digitised, removing paper and enhancing the visibility of processing for government transactions,” said !Gawaxab. The report outlines key developments under the bank’s 2022-2024 strategy, including automation, digitalisation and strong financial performance. According to  !Gawaxab, the…

Niël Terblanché The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) issued an urgent call for taxpayers to settle deferred import Value Added Tax (VAT) accounts, revealing that more than 5 000 entities owe the state more than N$1 billion. NamRa’s spokesperson, Yarukeekuro Ndorogaze, in the notice issued on Monday, said that the February 2025 review by NamRA found that 5 182 taxpayers had outstanding VAT on imports. Of these, 187 accounts with debt ranging between zero- and 90-days total N$30 million, while the remainder – involving 4 995 accounts – have been outstanding for more than 90 days. Ndorokaze cautioned that continued non-payment…