Observer Money

Staff Writer Standard Bank has warned the public about a new scam circulating in Namibia in which fraudsters pose as representatives of WiFi or internet service providers. The callers claim they need to “upgrade your WiFi connection” or “improve your internet speed”. They then instruct victims to carry out banking transactions on their phones. According to the bank, the scammers tell people to dial the PayPulse code under the pretext of assisting with a WiFi upgrade. Once the victim follows the steps, unauthorised digital transactions are processed without their knowledge. Colanè Esterhuizen-Andreas, fraud risk manager at Standard Bank, said customers…

Staff Writer Simonis Storm expects inflation to average between 3.6% and 3.8% in 2026. The firm says this reflects a mild normalisation rather than a renewed rise in price pressures. The outlook follows a year of easing inflation in 2025. Headline inflation slowed through the second half of the year and closed December at 3.2% year-on-year, down from 3.7% in June.  Inflation remained within the Bank of Namibia’s 3–6% target range. Monthly price movements were mostly stable outside of utility and tariff adjustments. For 2026, Simonis Storm expects housing and utility inflation to remain firm.  This will be supported by…

Allexer Namundjembo A United Nations (UN) report launched in Windhoek has identified more than US$900 million in diversification opportunities and the potential to create over 26 000 jobs through value addition and industrial expansion. The report was unveiled by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development secretary general Rebeca Grynspan during her official visit to Namibia.  The event took place at the Mövenpick–Mercure Hotel and was organised with the National Planning Commission (NPC). It was attended by government officials, private sector representatives, academia, civil society and UN agencies. According to a statement issued at the launch, the Rapid Assessment for…

Chamwe Kaira Paladin Energy reported revenue of US$138.3 million for the six months ended 31 December 2025, driven by uranium sales from the Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia and firmer uranium market conditions. The company sold 1.96 million pounds of uranium oxide during the period at an average realised price of US$70.5 per pound.  Cost of sales reached US$112.3 million as production at Langer Heinrich Mine continued to ramp up and a higher share of mined ore was processed through the plant. Gross profit rose to US$26 million from US$0.9 million in the same period last year. Paladin recorded a…

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s annual inflation rate eased to 2.9% in January, down from 3.2% recorded in January last year, according to the latest Namibia Consumer Price Index report. Statistician general and Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) chief executive officer Alex Shimuafeni released the report. On a month-on-month basis, inflation rose to 0.8% in January from 0.1% in December 2025. This shows prices increased at a faster pace during the month under review. The report states that inflation measures the sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services over time.  Changes in inflation are tracked through movements in the…

Chamwe Kaira The Namibia Deposit Guarantee Authority (NDGA) says the country’s Deposit Guarantee Scheme covers more than 90% of current depositors. The figures are contained in the NDGA’s three-year strategic plan for 2026 to 2028, which sets out the institution’s priorities for the next three years. The Deposit Guarantee Scheme allows depositors to access all or part of their money within a set period if a bank fails. It aims to prevent panic withdrawals by assuring depositors that their funds are protected. All Namibian banking institutions, branches of foreign banks and building societies must join the scheme and pay annual…

Chamwe Kaira The global uranium market outlook remains firm as demand for nuclear energy rises due to energy security concerns and growing electrification.  Utilities are seeking secure uranium supplies from Western-aligned countries amid supply constraints caused by years of underinvestment.  This is based on the Langer Heinrich Mine investor report released by Paladin Energy. In Namibia, Paladin Energy’s Langer Heinrich Mine is ramping up towards full mining and processing operations. The mine produced 2.3 million pounds of U₃O₈ during the first half of the 2026 financial year.  Full-year production for FY2026 is expected to reach the upper end of the…

Staff Writer Trustco Group Holdings Limited has announced that Meya Mining Limited, in which the Windhoek-based group holds an indirect equity interest, has secured a US$25 million financing facility from Ecobank Sierra Leone Limited, supported by Ecobank Ghana Plc. The funding was announced at a signing ceremony on the opening day of the Africa Mining Indaba 2026 in Cape Town.  Meya said the facility was obtained on normal commercial terms and does not include any equity conversion rights or restrictive conditions. The company said the financing marks a step toward full commercial diamond production under its 25-year exclusive mining licence…

Hileni Amadhila February tells us that love should be exciting. Big gestures. Surprise spending. Something memorable enough to post about. But when it comes to money and relationships, the kind of love that lasts is usually quiet, practical and, frankly, a bit boring. Borrowing money choices don’t make for good stories. No one brags about sticking to a budget or paying an insurance premium on time. Yet these are the choices that protect relationships when life takes an unexpected turn. They’re the decisions that keep stress low and trust intact long after the flowers have wilted. Money is one of…