Windhoek Observer

17 Mar

Communities fear flooding as Zambezi river rises

National News

Patience Makwele Residents living in floodplain areas of the Zambezi region say they are worried as the Zambezi river continues to rise and floodwaters begin spreading into villages, fields and roads. Hydrological readings show the river at Katima Mulilo has reached about 6.7 metres. This is a sharp increase from just over two metres recorded during the same period last year. Floodwaters have begun spreading across parts of the eastern floodplains. Villages affected include Luhonono, Malindi, Namiyundu, Nsundwa, Nakuntwe and Muzii. On Monday residents say water has started entering homes and fields. “The water is rising very fast and we…

17 Mar

Namibia–FAO food security plan short of N$168 million

Uncategorised

Justicia Shipena The implementation of Namibia’s new agriculture cooperation programme with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) faces a funding gap of US$8.9 million (approximately N$168 million). The programme requires a total of US$15.7 million (approximately N$296 million) to implement, but only US$6.8 million (approximately N$128 million) has been secured so far. The funding forms part of the Country Programming Framework (CPF) signed between the FAO and the Namibian government. The framework will guide cooperation in agriculture and food systems from 2025 to 2029. The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and…

17 Mar

Woman builds platform to document Namibian inspiration

National News

Patience Makwele A Namibian initiative that documents inspirational words spoken by local leaders and citizens is gaining recognition for preserving voices that reflect the country’s experiences and identity. The platform, called NamInspiration, was founded by Meryam Nghidipo. The project was created to capture and archive motivational quotes spoken by Namibians working in areas such as politics, agriculture, education, finance, health and community development. Nghidipo said the idea began in 2015 after she noticed that most inspirational quotes shared online came from international figures. “I was searching online for quotes one day and I noticed that many of the inspirational words…

17 Mar

Bipa deregisters 24 companies and close corporations

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) has deregistered 24 companies and close corporations that have stopped operating. The deregistrations were published in the government gazette on Friday. Bipa chief executive officer Ainna Kaundu said the entities submitted written declarations confirming they had stopped operating and no longer had assets or liabilities. “A written statement to the effect that these companies and close corporations have ceased to carry on business and have no assets or liabilities has been received,” Kaundu said. “We have therefore deregistered these entities under the relevant legal provisions. No guarantee is given regarding the…

17 Mar

Namibia and Russia push for joint business ventures

National News

Staff Writer Namibia and Russia have agreed to push businesses from both countries to pursue joint ventures and investment partnerships. The two counties held the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation held in Windhoek. The meeting, which concluded yesterday, brought together officials and business representatives to review progress in bilateral relations and identify new areas of cooperation. The session was chaired by minister of international relations and trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi and co-chaired by Russian deputy prime minister Yury Trutnev. According to a joint communiqué, officials discussed expanding cooperation in sectors such as energy, mining and…

17 Mar

Independence Day must remain a sacred day of national unity

Editorial

Every year on 21 March, Namibia pauses to commemorate the moment when the nation emerged from decades of colonial rule and finally took its place among the sovereign states of the world. Independence Day is therefore not merely another public holiday. It is the symbolic birthday of the Republic, a day that belongs to every Namibian, regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, language, region, or economic standing. For that reason, Independence Day should be treated as a sacred day of national unity. Recent criticism directed at the government over the nature of the Independence Day celebrations should therefore be taken seriously.…

17 Mar

MSMEs struggle to expand

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) continue to face structural challenges despite their role in creating jobs and supporting incomes. A study by the African Development Bank (AfDB) says the sector is affected by limited skills, weak market penetration, high financing costs, restricted access to land and low levels of technology use. The report says MSMEs also face infrastructure gaps, limited business support services and relatively low levels of entrepreneurship. These factors continue to slow the sector’s growth. More than 70 000 MSMEs operate in Namibia. The sector contributes about 12% to the country’s gross domestic product and…

17 Mar

Langer Heinrich ramps up production amid strong uranium demand

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Paladin Energy is increasing production at the Langer Heinrich Mine as the company moves through the final stage of its ramp-up plan. The company said 2.3 million pounds of uranium oxide (U₃O₈) were produced during the first half of the 2026 financial year. Production for the full financial year is expected to reach the upper end of the guidance range of 4 million to 4.4 million pounds. Paladin stated that the rising global demand for nuclear energy supports the ramp-up. The company said demand is being driven by the existing nuclear reactor fleet, reactors under construction and the…

17 Mar

US tariffs narrow Namibia’s trade surplus

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The imposition of a 15% tariff on Namibian exports by the United States reduced Namibia’s trade surplus with the US during the first half of 2025. This was revealed in the Namibia country strategy paper for 2025–2030 released by the African Development Bank in Windhoek last week. The report states that Namibia’s trade surplus with the United States declined to about N$331 million in the first half of 2025, down from about N$416 million during the same period in 2024. The tariff affected key export sectors such as diamonds, marble and salt. Diamonds were previously exported duty-free under…

17 Mar

Tromp appointed to lead Nedbank consumer banking

Observer Money

Staff Writer Nedbank Namibia has appointed John James Tromp as head of consumer banking, effective 1 March 2026. The consumer banking portfolio includes private banking, private wealth, retail banking and lending. The bank said Tromp previously served as head of business banking. In that role, he worked with business clients across the country and gained experience in how financial services affect both households and businesses. Nedbank said this experience gives him insight into the link between household financial stability and wider economic activity. The bank said the appointment comes at a time when financial inclusion, responsible lending and access to…