Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira  Paratus Namibia Holdings increased its capital expenditure to N$471.3 million for the financial year ending 30 June 2025, more than doubling the N$216.1 million spent in 2024.  The company marked its 20th anniversary during a year defined by investment and operational expansion. Paratus executive of finance, Naomi Fourie, said the spending focused on the expansion project as the group prepared to launch its mobile business in September 2025.  She said substantial resources went into equipment, site builds and the digital software stack needed to support operations. The mobile project is designed to enable SIM card users to access…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia’s medium-term trade outlook is shifting as Southern and Central Africa undergo major changes in regional transport networks, according to Almandro Jansen of Simonis Storm Securities.  While the October trade figures still reflect commodity prices, domestic demand and exchange-rate movements, Jansen says the region is entering a logistics realignment that will shape Namibia's external sector for years. A key development is Zambia’s Western Corridor Project, which broke ground in late October. The route will offer a shorter and more predictable link between Zambia’s mining belt and the Port of Walvis Bay.  Jansen said the corridor will strengthen Namibia’s…

Chamwe Kaira  Remgro has issued a cautionary notice to shareholders as it enters advanced discussions on a possible restructuring of its interests in Mediclinic Holdings.  The outcome could have a material impact on Remgro’s share price. Mediclinic’s Southern African operations include three hospitals in Namibia. Remgro and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company jointly own Mediclinic through Investment Holding Limited S.à.r.l (IHL).  They have reached an in-principle, non-binding agreement to separate their core geographic operations.  Under the proposal, Remgro would take full ownership of Mediclinic Southern Africa, while IHL would take full ownership of Hirslanden, the Swiss business.  Both companies would continue…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia’s financial markets entered a new phase this week as the Central Securities Depository Limited (CSD) officially went live, moving the country from paper-based securities to a fully electronic post-trade system. The launch was announced by the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) in partnership with the Bank of Namibia and under the oversight of the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa).  For more than a decade, regulatory barriers prevented the creation of a CSD. A licence granted on 8 March 2024 allowed development to begin. The CSD will store and manage securities electronically, handle clearing and settlement, and process…

Staff Writer  Namcor and its joint venture partners ReconAfrica and BW Energy have announced successful results from the Kavango West 1X exploration well on petroleum exploration license 73 in onshore Namibia. The well encountered a gross hydrocarbon section of about 400 metres within the Otavi carbonate formation. Wireline logs and mud log analyses confirmed 64 net meters of hydrocarbon pay.  A further 61 metres of hydrocarbon shows were found in deeper intervals where natural fractures in the limestone reservoir are interpreted to improve hydrocarbon flow. ReconAfrica, the operator of PEL 73, completed drilling on 29 November 2025, reaching a total…

Chamwe Kaira Africa Bitcoin Corporation Limited (formerly Altvest Capital Limited) has reached a new milestone after its subsidiary, the Altvest Credit Opportunities Fund (ACOF), raised N$50 million through a private placement of domestic medium-term notes. The company is listed on the Namibian Stock Exchange. The notes were issued under ACOF’s N$5 billion domestic medium-term note program. The agreements for the issuance were finalised ahead of the planned listing on the Cape Town Stock Exchange. The notes will mature on 1 December 2032, providing long-term funding stability for ACOF and investors. Africa Bitcoin Corp., which is listed on JSE, NSX, and…

Staff Writer  AI is increasingly being used to deceive and manipulate victims in long-game scams, with Pig Butchering schemes becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect. These scams usually begin with an unexpected message from a stranger on social media, dating apps or messaging platforms.  The scammer pretends to be a successful investor, entrepreneur or romantic interest and spends weeks or months building trust.  Once the relationship feels secure, they introduce what appears to be a promising investment opportunity, often involving cryptocurrency or forex trading. The use of artificial intelligence has made these scams far more dangerous.  Fraudsters now rely…

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia recorded a trade deficit of N$2.9 billion in October, an improvement from the N$3.4 billion shortfall in September.  Statistician general and chief executive officer of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) Alex Shimuafeni said the latest figures show a smaller gap between exports and imports. Year-on-year, the deficit stood at N$7.2 billion. China was Namibia’s largest export market in October, while South Africa remained the main source of imports. In September, South Africa had been the top market for both exports and imports. Most exports in October came from the mining sector. Uranium, non-monetary gold, diamonds, and copper…

Chamwe Kaira  The Bank of Namibia’s (BoN) monetary policy committee (MPC) has kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.50%.  BoN governor Johannes !Gawaxab said commercial banks are expected to keep their prime lending rate at 10.125%. “This policy stance is deemed appropriate for safeguarding the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand, while remaining supportive of domestic economic activity,” he said during the announcement this week.  !Gawaxab said the committee considered ongoing global policy uncertainty and potential risks to the domestic economy.  He noted that South Africa’s formal adoption of a 3% inflation target requires “additional…

Chamwe Kaira  The board of Deep Yellow Limited has appointed Greg Field as managing director and chief executive officer, with his tenure set to begin no later than 1 May 2026.  His appointment follows a global search guided by the company’s leadership transition plan.  The board focused on securing a leader with strong execution skills, a proven record in delivering capital projects and experience in the regions where the company operates. Field is a qualified mining engineer and previously served as managing director for project development at Rio Tinto.  He has worked in the resources sector for 29 years, gaining…