Windhoek Observer – Page 66 – Windhoek Observer

04 Nov

Youth fund backs 42 startups

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The National Youth Development Fund (NYDF), launched in September, has disbursed N$14.78 million to 42 startups, executive director in the Ministry of Finance Michael Humavindu has revealed. The fund is capitalised at N$500 million, with N$257 million available for the current financial year. It is being implemented by the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), Agribank and the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) to close financing gaps for youth-led enterprises. Humavindu said that the NYDF's growth includes a way to lend money through Development Finance Institutions, a fund at the Bank of Namibia to keep it going long-term, and a…

04 Nov

Oceana expects up to 42% drop in annual earnings

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Oceana Group Limited has warned shareholders that its earnings for the year ended 30 September 2025 are expected to drop sharply, despite stronger catches late in the financial year. In a trading update released on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the Cape Town-based fishing and food processing company, which also operates in Namibia, said it now expects its basic earnings per share to range between 589 cents and 534 cents. This reflects a decline of between 36% and 42% from the 920.9 cents reported in 2024. Headline earnings per share are forecast to fall within the same range,…

04 Nov

Pepkor Holdings’s revenues reach N$95.3 billion

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Pepkor Holdings Limited, which owns several Namibian retail brands, including PEP, Ackermans, Shoe City, Dunns, Tekkie Town, Refinery, Bradlows, Sleepmasters, Incredible Connection, HiFi Corp, and BUCO, has announced a 12% rise in revenue to N$95.3 billion for the year ended 30 September 2025. The group said its retail operations outperformed the broader market, driven by strong trading in a difficult economic environment. It noted that its business model, focused on meeting customer needs, continues to show resilience. Pepkor said it expanded its market share based on the latest available data. The company reported strong growth in fintech through…

04 Nov

Celsius continues divestment talks for Opuwo project

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Celsius Resources has continued its divestment process for the Opuwo Cobalt project in Namibia, with several interested parties conducting due diligence. The company said in its quarterly report for the period ended 30 September that the project’s exploration licence renewal is still under review by the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy. Celsius ended the quarter with about N$29 million (A$2.39 million) in cash, including around N$18 million (A$1.49 million) held by MMCI. It spent about N$53 million (A$4.37 million) on exploration and evaluation during the quarter, while payments to related parties totalled roughly N$6.6 million (A$537 000),…

04 Nov

Deep Yellow finds uranium at new site in Erongo

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Deep Yellow Limited has reported promising results from its latest drilling campaign at the newly identified Tinkas prospect in Namibia’s Erongo Region. The site lies within exclusive prospecting licence 3496, adjacent to the company’s flagship Tumas project on mining licence 237. The chief financial officer and acting chief executive officer, Craig Barnes, said the exploration team completed a reverse circulation drilling programme between 23 September and 14 October 2025 to test a strong radiometric surface anomaly aligned with a network of palaeochannels, ancient river systems known to host uranium deposits in the region. A total of 105 drill…

04 Nov

Kastyle Ndonga Boy shares life lessons in new album

Featured, National News

Allexer Namundjembo Ananias Paulus, known as Kastyle Ndonga Boy, has released his sixth album, titled “The Message from an Underrated Man”. Born and raised in Oshigambo in the Oshikoto region, Paulus began his music journey in 2021 and has since become one of the country’s rising artists. He discovered his passion for music after realising he had a gift that could heal and share wisdom through songs. Since then, music has become his way of inspiring and teaching life lessons. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer in a telephonic interview, Paulus said his biggest inspiration came from the Namibian artist and…

04 Nov

Diamond of the Month: October 2025

Featured, Opinions

Celebrating Namibian Excellence DTI proudly honours Johanna Kamati as the Diamond of the Month for October 2025, celebrating her remarkable achievement as the first San learner from Hainyeko Combined School in the Ohangwena Region to graduate from a tertiary institution. Her story is one of resilience, courage, and the power of education to transform lives. Johanna, now a graduate of the International University of Management (IUM) in Nkurenkuru, recently obtained her Diploma in Junior Primary Education, marking a historic milestone not only for herself but also for her community. Coming from a remote San settlement, she defied the odds stacked…

03 Nov

Henties Bay council in hot water over N$200k Lüderitz trip

Main

Renthia Kaimbi A trip undertaken by Henties Bay municipal officials to Lüderitz cost the council N$200 000. Documents obtained by the Windhoek Observer show that the delegation was made up of eleven officials, including seven councillors, the acting chief executive officer Ignasia Neis, strategic executive for technical services Emely Tjombumbi, council administrator Erenstine Seibes and property officer Erich Gaoseb. The group travelled to Lüderitz from 28 October to 1 November 2025. The stated purpose of the trip was to meet with the Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company and Hyphen Hydrogen Energy. Community members discovered the trip after visiting the council offices…

03 Nov

Govt to screen students for extra tertiary education financial support

National News

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the government will be strict in identifying students who qualify for financial support beyond tuition and registration fees under the free tertiary education programme. Speaking during an engagement with youth in Ondangwa over the weekend, Nandi-Ndaitwah clarified that the state will only cover tuition and registration costs for students entering universities and vocational training centres. Earlier this year, during her inaugural State of the Nation Address, she announced that the country will introduce free tertiary education at public institutions starting in the 2026 academic year. “Anyone who qualifies to go to vocational training or…

03 Nov

NSX to operate as a profit-making public company

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The government has approved a regulatory framework that allows the Namibia Stock Exchange (NSX) to change its structure and become a for-profit, publicly owned company. The amendment, published in the government gazette dated 31 October 2025, marks the end of years of discussion and sets the stage for the local bourse to become more competitive and growth-driven. The process, known as demutualisation, will see the NSX move from being a non-proprietary voluntary association or member-owned entity to a public company with share capital under the Companies Act of 2004. “This strategic shift is a well-trodden path for major…