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10446 Posts
Positive trade reforms on the horizon

Positive trade reforms on the horizon

Chamwe Kaira  Recent developments point to positive changes in the country’s trade environment, driven by targeted reforms and capacity-building efforts to improve efficiency, market access, and competitiveness, says Almandro Jansen, an analyst with Simonis Storm. In March 2025, the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade launched the Namibian Trade Information Portal. This digital platform centralises key trade information, such as customs procedures, licensing requirements, tariff schedules, investment incentives, and trade regulations.  Jansen explained that the portal reduces red tape and makes trade processes more predictable. “It is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to engage in regional and global…
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Langer Heinrich hits high production output

Langer Heinrich hits high production output

Chamwe Kaira The Langer Heinrich Mine (LHM) processed more than 900 000 tonnes of ore during the March 2025 quarter. This marked the highest throughput since the mine restarted operations. The plant achieved an average recovery rate of 88%, which is within the company’s target. Paladin Energy, the mine’s operator, said it produced 745,484 pounds of uranium oxide in the March quarter. This was a 17% increase from the previous quarter and the highest quarterly output since the restart. Total uranium oxide production for the nine months ending 31 March stood at two million pounds. During the March quarter, the…
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Otjikoto projects gold output of up to 185 000 ounces

Otjikoto projects gold output of up to 185 000 ounces

Chamwe Kaira The Otjikoto Mine is expected to produce between 165,000 and 185,000 ounces of gold in 2025. Cash operating costs are forecast between US$695 (approximately N$12 931) and US$755 (approximately N$14 054) per ounce.  All-in sustaining costs are projected between US$980 (approximately N$18 243) and US$1 040 (approximately N$19 366) per ounce. Production will be higher in the first half of the year. Open-pit mining is scheduled to end in the third quarter of 2025. The mine will process 3.4 million tonnes of ore in 2025, with an average grade of 1.63 grams per tonne and a gold recovery…
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Africa’s cybersecurity skills gap is a business problem

Allan Juma  Africa’s cybersecurity skills shortage is not just a technical staffing issue; it’s an urgent business emergency that threatens to derail the continent’s digital transformation entirely. Estimates point to a shortfall of hundreds of thousands of skilled professionals, with many businesses relying solely on overwhelmed generalist IT teams to battle increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats. Others simply remain unprotected. Either way, the risk of cyberattacks continues to grow, posing a critical threat to business continuity. Cybersecurity breaches cost African businesses US$3.5 billion annually and billions more from missed opportunities caused by reputational damage. Particularly for industries that work with sensitive data,…
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President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s inaugural foreign visit – honouring history – legacies and shadows of Neto and Nujoma

President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s inaugural foreign visit – honouring history – legacies and shadows of Neto and Nujoma

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) As the dust settles on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s first international foray since taking office, her choice of Angola for the crucial two-day working visit (May 8-9, 2025) speaks volumes. More than just a diplomatic courtesy, this journey to Luanda is a powerful statement, deeply woven into the fabric of Namibia’s past and its aspirations for the future. Stepping onto Angolan soil as her first official act beyond Namibian borders is a significant milestone for Namibia's first female head of state. It’s a deliberate nod to the unbreakable bonds forged in…
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Delayed procurement plans hinder oversight, IPPR warns

Delayed procurement plans hinder oversight, IPPR warns

Justicia Shipena  When procurement plans are delayed or not publicly accessible, it can hinder oversight and lead to inefficiencies in resource allocation. This is a concern raised in the latest procurement tracker report released on Wednesday by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). By 30 April 2025, only 42 out of 173 public entities with a procurement function had their 2025/26 annual procurement plans viewable on the e-Procurement Portal. This means just 24% of public entities submitted their plans. The Public Procurement Amendment Act of 2022 requires public entities to submit their annual procurement plans to the Procurement Policy…
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New charges await Hengari in next court appearance

New charges await Hengari in next court appearance

Allexer Namundjebo Former Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Mac Albert Hengari, will face new charges when he next appears in court.  These include contravening Section 34(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act (Act 8 of 2003) and incitement to commit a crime under Section 18(2)(b) of the Riotous Assemblies Act of 1976.  This is explained in a letter from Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa, dated 12 May 2015, seen by the Windhoek Observer and addressed to Hengari’s legal firm, Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka Inc. Imalwa, in the letter, notified Hengari’s legal team that the state intends to oppose bail on…
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PDM Six sue party, ECN, and National Assembly for N$1.9 million

PDM Six sue party, ECN, and National Assembly for N$1.9 million

Allexer Namundjebo Six senior members of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) are suing their party, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), and the National Assembly for compensation over their exclusion from Parliament in 2020. Mike Venaani, Raymond Diergaardt, Charmaine Tjirare, Yvette Areas, Nghidipo Hamata, and Maximalliant Katjimune were originally on the PDM’s list of parliamentary candidates for the 2019 general election.  However, after the elections, the party submitted a modified list to the ECN, excluding their names and replacing them with others. This change caused internal turmoil within the party and led to a legal battle.  In 2022, the High…
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Kauandenge pokes holes in Nudo constitution with dual membership

Kauandenge pokes holes in Nudo constitution with dual membership

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Former National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) secretary general, Josef Kauandenge, says Nudo's constitution does not prevent him from forming another party while remaining a fully fledged Nudo member. Kauandenge recently announced the formation of the Association for Localised Interests (ASOLI), where he serves as president.  Despite this, he stressed that he is still a Nudo member.  He represented Nudo in both the City of Windhoek local authority council and the national assembly. “I still stand by the position that I’m still a Nudo member, although I have started an association. Perusing through the party constitution, I could not…
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Diplomatic missions not displaying Nandi-Ndaitwah’s portraits

Diplomatic missions not displaying Nandi-Ndaitwah’s portraits

Hetta-Maria Amutenja  Some Namibian Diplomatic missions have yet to display the official portrait of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, nearly two months after her inauguration.  The Namibian High Commission in London, for instance, has not yet hung the portrait.  Photos obtained by the Windhoek Observer show only the portrait of Founding President Sam Nujoma on display, with no image of the current or former president visible. A source, who visited the mission recently, expressed surprise at the absence of the portrait of President Nandi-Ndaitwah. “It was surprising to walk into the High Commission and see that only the portrait of President Nujoma…
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