National News

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) has partnered with the Namibian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) to support the creation of a locally designed mobile application for sign language. Through its Namport Social Investment Fund (NSIF), the state-owned enterprise donated an iMac and a MacBook worth N$100,000 to strengthen the NNAD’s technical capacity.  The handover took place last week at Namport’s head office in Walvis Bay. Namport’s manager of marketing and stakeholder engagement, Cliff Shikuambi, said the donation is part of a broader commitment to inclusive socio-economic development.  “Through NSIF, we aim to support interventions that make a…

Niël Terblanché Defence and veterans affairs minister Frans Kapofi has dismissed claims of corruption in the ministry’s procurement processes, stating that all acquisitions follow legal procedures and are subject to oversight. Kapofi was responding to a question in Parliament from Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job Amupanda.  Amupanda had raised concerns about the awarding of tenders and whether proper procedures had been followed in the procurement of surveillance equipment and related goods. “There is no corruption in the procurement of surveillance equipment or any other procurement that is done through the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs,” said Kapofi.  He said…

Niël Terblanché President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will lead Namibia’s delegation to the 2025 U.S.–Africa Business Summit in Luanda, Angola, this week. The summit is hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa and the Angolan government. It will bring together African heads of state, ministers, senior U.S. officials, and business leaders from both continents. Under the theme, "Pathways to Prosperity: A Shared Vision for the U.S.-Africa Partnership," the summit aims to strengthen economic ties and explore new trade and investment opportunities. Namibia’s participation is aimed at advancing partnerships and attracting investment in key sectors such as agriculture, energy, mining, oil and gas,…

Justicia Shipena Old Mutual Namibia, through the Old Mutual Investment Group (OMIGNAM), currently manages over N$60 billion in assets across a broad range of strategies.  On 19 June 2025, the group launched the World Wide Equity Fund, offering Namibian investors a new entry point into global markets. The fund gives investors access to leading companies across developed and emerging markets. It focuses on sectors such as innovation, digital transformation, renewable energy, healthcare, and technology. Rex Mutelo, head of business development at OMIGNAM, said the fund is designed to provide broad global exposure.  “In today’s rapidly evolving economy, companies that lead…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Affirmative Repositioning (AR) member of parliament Fredrick Shitana has proposed that commercial banks be required to provide public ablution facilities or risk losing their fitness certificates. Speaking during a parliament session on Wednesday, Shitana questioned why some businesses that serve the public for long hours are required to have public toilets to obtain a fitness certificate.  He asked why commercial banks seem to be exempt from this requirement. “To obtain a fitness certificate is to ensure that those institutions meet the acceptable standards of health and safety. In order to allow them to conduct business, certain categories of…

Justicia Shipena The ministry of health and social services has declared a cholera outbreak in the Opuwo District of the Kunene Region following confirmation of locally transmitted cases. Health minister, Dr Esperance Luvindao, made the announcement on Thursday during a media briefing in Windhoek.  She said eight suspected cases had been reported as of 18 June 2025.  Six of these, including one death, are from the same household. Two other suspected cases were identified in Opuwo and Otjimuhaka village.  Preliminary tests for those two came back negative.  Confirmatory tests for the first two cases were conducted by the National Institute…

Niël Terblanché NamPower has officially broken ground on the 100 MW Sores|Gaib Power Station, which will be Namibia’s largest solar power facility.  The station is being constructed 33 kilometres northwest of Rosh Pinah. NamPower managing director Kahenge Haulofu said the project is a major step toward expanding local electricity generation and reducing the country’s dependence on imports. “Our country has abundant sun, and we are ready to seize the opportunities that renewable energy offers,” he said. The name “Sores |Gaib”, meaning “Power of the Sun” in Khoekhoegowab, was chosen through an internal competition.  Haulofu said the name honours Namibia’s heritage…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The deputy minister of education, Dino Ballotti, has assured the public that the planned free tertiary education at state institutions will not disadvantage students enrolled at private institutions. Ballotti made the remarks on Thursday during the first meeting of the Task Force on Free Tertiary Education in Public Institutions, held in Windhoek. He said funding should follow the student and not the institution, as the aim is to support Namibian learners regardless of where they study. “While our focus is on public institutions, it is vital to ensure that students enrolled at private institutions are not unjustly disadvantaged,…

Justicia Shipena To be removed from the European Commission's high-risk list, Namibia must show sustained progress in implementing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Action Plan.  This includes strengthening the country’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) systems. Namibia was added to the European Union’s list of high-risk jurisdictions on 10 June, following the EU’s standard practice of aligning with the FATF grey list.  Other countries on the list include Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Nepal, and Venezuela. The European Commission’s decision follows the FATF’s February 2024 Plenary Meeting, during which Namibia was placed on the grey…

Niël Terblanché A delegation from the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) has embarked on a five-day benchmarking mission to Botswana to accelerate the digital transformation of Namibia’s water supply systems. Hosted by Botswana’s Water Utilities Corporation (WUC), the visit focused on knowledge exchange around smart prepaid metering technologies and customer service systems. NamWater CEO Abraham Nehemia is leading the delegation, which includes executive committee members and technical experts.  The team was welcomed at WUC’s Mmamashia Treatment Works, where a structured programme of technical sessions, site visits and strategic discussions was launched. “We are here to learn from WUC’s experience and see…