Blog – Page 178 – Windhoek Observer

16 Oct

OBSERVER COASTAL | Swakopmund municipality commits N$200k to education drive

National News

Renthia Kaimbi The Swakopmund Municipality has reaffirmed its commitment to education through its annual School Donation Initiative, which has set aside N$200 000 for schools in 2025. At a handover ceremony on Wednesday, Swakopmund deputy mayor Suamma Kautondokwa presented the first donation, marking the start of this year’s rollout. Kautondokwa said the N$10 000 contribution reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that every child learns and grows in a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment. She emphasised that education is the foundation of a prosperous and sustainable community. The initiative supports both public and private primary and secondary schools within the…

16 Oct

Central bank revises Inflation projections downwards

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has lowered its inflation forecasts for 2025 and 2026 by 0.2 percentage points to 3.6% and 4%, respectively, from its previous projection. BoN governor Johannes !Gawaxab said the revision reflects a stronger exchange rate and a lower oil price outlook. “Risks to the forecast remain exchange rate volatility and potential upticks in administered and oil prices,” he said. Annual inflation averaged 3.6% during the first eight months of 2025, compared to 4.6% during the same period last year. !Gawaxab said the decline was mainly due to lower prices in housing and alcoholic beverages…

16 Oct

Senior executives buy more shares at FirstRand and Choppies

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Recent disclosures on the Namibia and Botswana stock exchanges show that senior executives at FirstRand Namibia Limited and Choppies Enterprises Limited have increased their shareholdings through market transactions and incentive schemes. At FirstRand Namibia Limited, two directors made separate on-market share purchases this week. Emla Trust, a family trust linked to director Emile van Zyl, bought 12 136 ordinary shares at N$52.20 per share, amounting to about N$637 782.57. The trust is associated with van Zyl, who serves as both trustee and beneficiary. The transaction took place on 13 October 2025 after obtaining the required clearance to trade.…

16 Oct

Agra expects profit to increase by 59%

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Agra Limited has told shareholders that the company’s profit after tax, basic earnings per share, and headline earnings per share for the year ended July 31, 2025, are expected to increase by between 53% and 59% compared to the prior period. “This improvement follows a challenging prior year, shaped by strategic investments in expanding Agra’s footprint and upgrades to retail branches, as well as the impact of a prolonged drought. These investments are now bearing fruit, contributing to improved operational efficiency,” the company said. Agra stated that the improved rainfall across the country has provided essential relief to…

16 Oct

BoN warns of prolonged diamond downturn

Observer Money

Allexer Namundjembo The diamond industry continues to struggle as global prices decline amid weaker consumer demand and growing competition from lab-grown diamonds. High inventory levels in major markets have added further pressure on the sector. According to the latest monetary policy presentation by Bank of Namibia (BoN) governor Johannes !Gawaxab on Wednesday, the natural diamond sector has been declining since 2022 and the downward trend is expected to continue in the coming years. The Paul Zimnisky Diamond Index shows prices have been falling steadily over the past three years. !Gawaxab said the slump is being caused by both structural and…

16 Oct

SA lists three new government bonds

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira South Africa, where Namibian asset managers and pension funds have major investments, has listed three new government bonds. The National Treasury announced the listing of the R010, R187, and R188 fixed-rate bonds on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) following the decision to split the R186 bond into three separate maturities. The listing took effect on 15 October 2025. It is part of the Split Option first announced on 8 February 2024, which allows holders of the R186 (10.50%) 2025/26/27 bond to voluntarily divide their holdings into three shorter-term instruments until 11 December 2025, before the first maturity date…

16 Oct

Vision without action is a mirage

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

General (Rtd) Denga Ndaitwah’s recent public lecture at the University of Namibia’s School of Military Science was not just a reflection on leadership; it was a sober call to national reality. With characteristic clarity and discipline, Namibia’s First Gentleman and former Chief of the Namibian Defence Force reminded us of an uncomfortable truth: Vision 2030 risks becoming a beautiful but empty academic document unless its ambitions are grounded in the lived realities of our people and implemented with unwavering commitment. A vision without a compass Vision 2030, unveiled two decades ago, remains one of the most aspirational national blueprints in…

15 Oct

ECN gives ballot printing tender to SA company again

Main

Allexer Namundjembo The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) will again pay a South African company, Uniprint Global, N$4.9 million to print ballot papers for the upcoming regional and local authorities elections. This comes after no local companies made it to the final bidding stage. The elections are scheduled for 26 November 2025. During the bidding process, ECN said seven local and five international companies purchased bid documents, but only four international companies submitted final bids. The bids ranged between N$4.9 million and N$8.3 million, including delivery costs. The open international bidding process started on 16 June and closed on 28…

15 Oct

Health workers face N$100k fine or jail for hiding mental patient abuse

National News

Justicia Shipena Health workers who do not report suspected abuse of mentally ill patients could be fined up to N$100 000 or jailed for two years under the new Mental Health Bill. Health minister Esperance Luvindao presented the Bill in Parliament on Tuesday. It makes it a crime for any mental health worker who sees or suspects abuse and fails to report it to their supervisor, the head of the facility, and the review board. It seeks to regulate mental health care in Namibia and promote dignity, autonomy, and the human rights of people with mental health conditions. The bill…

15 Oct

‘It’s time to wake up’ on hydrogen dream — Alweendo

National News

Justicia Shipena Former mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo says RWE’s withdrawal from a non-binding offtake memorandum of understanding (MoU) should serve as a wake-up call for Namibia to re-evaluate its green hydrogen strategy. He said the exit by the German energy company highlights the need for Namibia to rebuild its hydrogen programme on firmer ground, focusing on domestic use before pursuing large-scale exports. “The global market is soft, timelines are slipping, and only a few projects worldwide are reaching final investment decisions. That tells us this is not the time for bravado, it’s time for phasing and bankability,” Alweendo…