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Namibia, Angola sign Cable connectivity deal

Namibia, Angola sign Cable connectivity deal

Staff Writer Telecom Namibia Limited and Angola Telecom have signed an agreement that allows Angola Telecom to access international bandwidth through the Equiano subsea cable landing in Swakopmund. The agreement was formalised through a memorandum of understanding and a commercial terms agreement signed in Swakopmund. The signing was attended by Namibia's minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus, Angola's minister of telecommunications, information technology and social communication Mário Augusto da Silva Oliveira, the mayor of Swakopmund and executives from both companies. Theofelus said the agreement strengthens regional connectivity. “This agreement reflects our shared belief that connectivity is no longer…
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Bank Windhoek celebrates northern real estate excellence

Bank Windhoek celebrates northern real estate excellence

Staff Writer Bank Windhoek has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to property ownership in Northern Namibia, citing promising growth in property finance through estate agents and calling for coordinated action to increase the supply of serviced land, accelerate infrastructure rollout, and improve affordability for first-time buyers. Speaking at the Bank Windhoek Northern Estate Agents’ Awards hosted in Oshakati, Leon Koch, the bank's executive officer of business banking and acting executive officer of retail banking services, said Northern Namibia remained the country’s most active property market in 2025.  He cautioned that shortages of especially serviced land are constraining delivery, urging…
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Trustco still battling Helios, NamRA in court

Trustco still battling Helios, NamRA in court

Staff Writer Trustco Group Holdings Limited says its legal disputes with Helios Oryx Limited and the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) remain unresolved. In an update to shareholders, the company said both matters, first disclosed in its 2023 financial statements, are still before the courts or under review. Trustco said the Helios case is ongoing and subject to further legal processes. A British court earlier ordered Trustco to pay about N$371 million to Helios. The judgement was later allowed to be enforced in Namibia. Trustco has appealed the ruling. The company stated that legal channels are still handling related proceedings and…
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MTC launches LTE network sites at Rössing Uranium 

MTC launches LTE network sites at Rössing Uranium 

Staff Writer MTC Namibia has launched four LTE network sites at Rössing Uranium Limited to improve connectivity at the mine. The sites were installed at the request of Rössing to address areas with weak or no network coverage. The project introduces four LTE sites across the mine to provide mobile voice and high-speed data services in key operational areas. The network is designed to support communication in an environment where reliable connectivity is needed for safety and daily operations. MTC managing director Licky Erastus said the project improves how teams work on site. “This project is about improving how people…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | Stigma shadows youth uptake of HIV prevention pill

YOUNG OBSERVER | Stigma shadows youth uptake of HIV prevention pill

Patience Makwele  PrEP is a daily pill taken by HIV-negative people to prevent infection. When used consistently, it can reduce the risk of contracting HIV by up to 99%. HIV remains a concern among young people, especially young women.  Data from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS shows that women aged 15 to 24 in sub-Saharan Africa are more than twice as likely to contract HIV as men of the same age. Some young people say stigma makes it difficult to access the medication. Fatima Amukweya (29) said she started using PrEP after losing family members and a friend…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | Breaking the silence on mental health

YOUNG OBSERVER | Breaking the silence on mental health

Patience Makwele  More young Namibians are speaking openly about mental health in homes, on campuses and online, challenging long-standing silence and stigma. At the centre of this shift is Windhoek-based mental health practitioner DieMut Amushila, founder of NeuroBloom Psychology, whose work is drawing interest from young people seeking safe spaces to talk. “Healing is possible not just for individuals but for the society at large,” she said. Amushila has more than a decade of experience in neuropsychology and neuroscience.  She said her work goes beyond clinical care and focuses on changing how mental health is understood, especially among young people.…
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Baroque concert to showcase young talent

Baroque concert to showcase young talent

Patience Makwele  A Baroque concert set for this weekend in Windhoek will place young Namibian musicians at the centre of a live orchestral performance. The concert is presented by the Namibian National Symphony Orchestra and will feature 52 participants, including seven young Namibian soloists selected through auditions. The event’s chairlady and organiser, Irmgard Rannersmann, said the selection was based on performance, not competition. “They did auditions where they had to play and show if what they’re playing is good enough. Their prize was that they were good enough to be one of the soloists at the concert," she said.  She…
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ACC in the dark as ministry sits on medical fraud files

ACC in the dark as ministry sits on medical fraud files

Patience Makwele  Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Paulus Noa says the ACC is still waiting for details from the Ministry of Health and Social Services on the suspected fraud scheme at the Central Medical Stores (CMS).  Last Friday, the health ministry revealed it had uncovered suspected irregularities at CMS, where some staff may have manipulated stock records and diverted medicines. The ministry's executive director Penda Ithindi said the discovery prompted the ministry to launch an investigation into possible fraud within the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain. “The obligation is upon the ministry to provide us with the names of those implicated…
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New coins are ‘rusting’ …BoN says coin damage not a production issue

New coins are ‘rusting’ …BoN says coin damage not a production issue

Allexer Namundjembo The Bank of Namibia (BoN) says deterioration of new coins in circulation can be influenced by factors beyond production quality. This follows concerns from the public that some of the country’s new coins show signs of corrosion after exposure to water. The coins have been in circulation for less than a year.  The central bank told the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday that it is aware of the complaints and is reviewing the matter. “The Bank of Namibia has taken note of the concerns raised. The matter will be considered in line with the bank's established processes, which include…
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Govt to end fishing jobs programme

Govt to end fishing jobs programme

Justicia Shipena  The government’s redress programme in the fishing sector will come to an end in April 2027. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced this at the close of a fishing industry engagement in Walvis Bay, where she said the sector is undergoing a transition. “Come April 2027, the redress programme will have to come to an end,” she said. The Government Employment Redress Programme (GERP) was introduced to address job losses linked to the 2015 illegal industrial action and the fallout from the fishrot scandal.  It uses fishing quotas to support companies that rehire retrenched workers. The announcement comes a month…
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