Observer Money

Green schemes expecting good harvest

Green schemes expecting good harvest

Niël Terblanché Significant investment in the renovation of key infrastructure to increase the production of maize and other types of staple grains on Namibia’s green schemes will pay off when current harvest is brought in. According to an audio-visual documentary presentation by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR), the various green schemes that benefitted from the investment, expect to harvest about 7 000 tons of maize by the end of July. Towards the end of 2022, MAWLR mobilized funds to commence production at the green schemes and irrigation projects of Sikondo, Ndonga Linena, Uvungu Vhungu, Shadikongoro and…
Read More
FNB employs 30 consultants

FNB employs 30 consultants

Martin Endjala In an effort to provide more integrated and seamless services, the First National Bank of Namibia has expanded its consultant team in the Contact Centre with 30 people to improve its point of contact with customers. The bank’s decision offered the opportunity for 30 Namibians to secure full-time employment while reducing the drop call rate to eight percent. The bank strives to reduce dropped calls even further. “The outcome of this investment in people and ultimately our customers resulted in a year-on-year increase, which supports the notion of digital when I want it, human when I need it,”…
Read More
Paratus signs deal to serve the offshore industry

Paratus signs deal to serve the offshore industry

Staff Writer Namibia’s privately owned telecommunications and network company, Paratus and wireless communications company Ceragon Networks have signed a multi-year agreement to provide high-capacity wireless offshore communication solutions to the oil and gas industry in Namibia, Angola, and Mozambique. The agreement effectively combines Ceragon’s world-class stabilising technology for offshore assets, including rigs and or floating production storage and offloading platforms (FPSOs), with the Paratus onshore network infrastructure to give customers an unequalled service for the fast and secure transmission of vital data. The Ceragon technology connects offshore floating, rotating and/or navigating infrastructure via a uniquely stabilised live microwave link over…
Read More
Containing rising inflation is necessary – BoN

Containing rising inflation is necessary – BoN

Martin Endjala The Governor of the Bank of Namibia Johannes !Gawaxab says Monetary Policy must continue to contain rising inflation, while targeted support should be provided to cushion citizens from the impact. The Governor said this last week during an engagement with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration, aimed at addressing domestic and global development. Discussions covered issues related to COVID-19 economic recovery initiatives, the Bank’s efforts to regulate banking fees and charges, currency arrangement, as well as Namibia’s progress in addressing the findings of the 2022 Mutual Evaluation. !Gawaxab said containing rising inflation is also matched…
Read More
Crypto regulation bill passes

Crypto regulation bill passes

Namibia has embraced cryptocurrencies and digital assets by approving the relevant bill in the National Assembly and by doing so, joined several other African nations. The bill, which passed Namibia’s lower house of parliament aims to regulate digital assets, cryptocurrencies and virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The legislation aims to establish a framework for licensing and regulating VASPs. It also seeks to appoint a regulatory authority responsible for supervising these providers and their activities. The main objectives of the bill are to ensure consumer protection, prevent market abuse, and mitigate the risks of money laundering, the financing of terrorism and…
Read More
Green hydrogen could end unemployment

Green hydrogen could end unemployment

Presidential economic adviser and Green Hydrogen Commissioner, Office of the President of Namibia, James Mnyupe gives an update on the current green hydrogen projects in the country. CHAMWE KAIRA (CK): There have been a lot of developments regarding the development of green hydrogen in Namibia. Briefly, give us where we are as a nation in terms of developing green hydrogenprojects? JAMES MNYUPE (JM): Before we consider where we are, it is useful to meditate on where we have come from, because that indeed may give us context on how we got here, where we are going and howmuch confidence should…
Read More
Five green and sustainable bonds listed on the NSX

Five green and sustainable bonds listed on the NSX

In this edition, Namibian Stock Exchange CEO, Tiaan Bazuin gives an update on the green bonds listed on the NSX. CHAMWE KAIRA (CK): How many green bonds are listed on the Namibian Stock Exchange, is Namibia the second African country to issue a green bond after signing up to the United Nations’ (UN’s) sustainable stock exchanges initiative? TIAAN BAZUIN (TB); We currently have a total of five green and sustainable bonds listed on the NSX. The market has matured to beyond just a green bond point and are seeing a lot of interest, there is capital that is definitely available…
Read More
Electrifying the Oil and Gas sector for a greener future

Electrifying the Oil and Gas sector for a greener future

Martin Endjala The oil and gas sector plays a significant role in the global economy with an intrinsic value of some economic activity, accounting for the movement of goods and services, heating, electricity, pharmaceuticals, and materials such as plastics. This value is expected to grow to USD 8 trillion by 2027 according to others but regardless, growth in its value is phenomenal. This is according to RDJ Publishing and RDJ Group Chief Executive Officer, David Jarrett, in his latest take on the prospects of a greener future. Jarrett said that oil and gas extraction on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS)…
Read More
Government to net a quarter billion in next two years in green hydrogen project

Government to net a quarter billion in next two years in green hydrogen project

Martin Endjala Following some scepticism from the public on the government’s 24 percent stake in the Green Hydrogen project, it is projected that government will make a net profit of a quarter Billion Namibian Dollars in the next two years. This is unlike mining or oil where government traditionally receives next to nothing for leasing out the land, for mining exploration licences, for example. It is, however, not the case with green hydrogen, as the government is said to get paid in a region of N$10 000 per licence. This means the government is already being compensated for availing the…
Read More
Namibia projects to produce 350 000 tons of green hydrogen

Namibia projects to produce 350 000 tons of green hydrogen

Martin Endjala As the world moves towards a green economy, Namibia’s green hydrogen project is projected to produce 350 000 tons of the gas once it is fully operational. Currently, 90 percent of the world has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions with the use of solar and wind power as the main source of energy. Big market countries like Japan, China, the USA and Europe are seeking to reach lower carbon emissions but do not have enough land to build green energy plants which makes Namibia a very good prospect in this regard. In a recent media briefing,…
Read More