Observer Money

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for October 2024 global passenger demand, which saw the total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), going up 7,1% compared to October 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 6,1% year-on-year. The October load factor was 83,9% (+0,8ppt compared to October 2023). International demand rose 9,5% compared to October 2023. Capacity was up 8,6% year-on-year and the load factor rose to 83,5% (+0,6ppt compared to October 2023). Domestic demand rose 3,5% compared to October 2023. Capacity was up 2% year-on-year and the load factor was 84,5% (+1.2ppt…

Element Six, part of De Beers Group, is establishing a transformational technology solutions business, leveraging synthetic diamonds to unlock new opportunities in high value industries such as quantum technologies, semiconductors and water purification. The De Beers Group has diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Last month, Element Six, a world-leading synthetic diamond company and part of the De Beers Group, announced an investment in Lightsynq, a new quantum interconnect startup founded by Harvard PhDs and former research leads at the AWS Center for Quantum Networking. This is just one example of how Element Six is shaping…

CHAMWE KAIRA Heightened trade tensions between the US and China, exacerbated by the Trump presidency, present significant risks to Namibia, whose economy is closely tied to its two largest trading partners, China and South Africa. Namibia's reliance on these economies for trade, investment, and macroeconomic stability creates vulnerabilities to global disruptions. Namibia exports key commodities such as uranium, diamonds, and gold to China, and any slowdown in Chinese export momentum due to US tariffs could dampen demand for these materials. This would likely lead to reduced export revenues and increased commodity price volatility, according to a report by Simonis Storm…

CHAMWE KAIRA Nictus Limited, which has operations in Namibia, has said in condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the six months ended 30 September that profit for the period increased to N$13,8 million (2023: N$3,7 million). The firm said basic earnings per share of 25.79 cents (2023: basic earnings per share of 6,93 cents) and headline earnings per share of 26,51 cents (2023: headline earnings per share of 6.94 cents). “No interim dividend was declared for the current nor comparative prior period. The board declared a final gross cash dividend of 6 cents per ordinary share for the year ended…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that US$1,7 billion in airline funds are blocked from repatriation by governments as of the end of October 2024. This is a small improvement compared to the US$1,8 billion reported at the end of April. “Over the last six months, we have seen significant reductions in blocked funds in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and Ethiopia. At the same time, amounts are rising in the XAF /XOF zones and Mozambique. Bolivia has also emerged as a problem, where repatriating sales revenues is becoming increasingly difficult and unsustainable for airlines. This unfortunate game of ‘whack-a-mole’ is…

ANDREAS SHIPANGA Many of us envision having enough money to live well in retirement without worry. A life annuity is one type of financial product made to offer that financial benefit and peace of mind. To sufficiently plan and prepare, you should plan for your retirement as early as possible by ensuring you contribute sufficiently to your retirement savings or supplement this by investing in a retirement annuity. Try to decide what you will do with your retirement benefit at least three to five years prior to your retirement date to allow you to source more information about the retirement…

Martin Endjala On Wednesday, the Bank of Namibia (BoN) launched its 2025-2027 strategic plan to support Namibia’s financial sector with the best global practices and to leverage emerging technologies to foster inclusivity, sustainability, and economic prosperity. The launch is said to be a bold move and a transformative vision for the future of central banking. It will also maintain macroeconomic stability, drive innovation, and foster resilience. According to Naufiku Hamunime, the bank’s acting director of strategic communications and international relations, a strategic plan is a carefully crafted game plan for addressing the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving global…

Martin Endjala Namibia’s Mobile Telecommunication Limited (MTC) on Monday announced a revenue growth of 5.58%, or N$3.2 billion for the just-concluded financial year end of 2024. It was a significant improvement compared to the N$3 billion in revenue for 2023. MTC’s managing director, Licky Erastus, made the announcement during the company’s annual financial performance review for the year ending 2024. Erastus attributed the revenue growth to increased demand for high-speed data connectivity, new innovative products and services, growth in roaming, and most importantly, a dedicated customer-centric staff that believes in creating a memorable experience for customers. MTC recorded growth of…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Namib Desert Diamonds (NAMDIA) generated a total of N$ 1.4 billion from the sale of 191 426 carats of diamonds in 2024. NAMDIA’s Public Relations and Communications Officer, Beverley Coussement told the Windhoek Observer newspaper during an interview over the weekend that the company despite challenges faced by the global diamond industry in 2024—marked by subdued demand due to economic headwinds and shifting consumer spending patterns—remained resilient and is navigating through tough times to meet its mandate. “There is growing optimism driven by increased demand for responsibly sourced diamonds and a renewed focus on sustainability across the value…

CHAMWE KAIRA The CEO of Andrada Mining, Anthony Viljoen, has said continued investment in exploration, metallurgy and asset development has earned the company the social license to operate and established strategic world-class partnerships. “During the interim period, we secured debt funding arrangements with established lenders, including Standard Bank of Namibia (tin hedge) and Bank Windhoek, for the implementation of our exciting growth projects,” he said this when he announced the unaudited interim results for the six months ended 31 August. Andrada’s assets are located in the Erongo region, a metallogenic jewel of northwest Namibia. Deposits of base, technology, precious metals,…