Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Producer Price Index (PPI) for production recorded declines in the second quarter, dropping by -3.1% quarter-on-quarter and -2.5% year-on-year. The drop was mainly driven by falling manufacturing prices, which contracted by 9.3% compared to the previous quarter. Statistician general and Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) chief executive officer, Alex Shimuafeni, said the annual decline was mostly influenced by lower prices in the mining and quarrying sector, which fell by 5.1%. The PPI tracks average changes in prices received by domestic producers for goods and services sold locally and abroad. Despite the annual decline, the index for mining and…

Chamwe Kaira The Bank of Namibia’s government bond auction on Wednesday recorded bids over  N$3 billion against an initial offer of N$2 billion. The GC35 recorded  the highest demand, with tenders of N$585 million, or 24% of the total. Allocations reached N$312 million, double the initial offer of N$160 million.  The GC40 also drew interest of N$214 million against an offer of N$140 million, but no allocation was made. Across the GC board, N$1.5 billion was offered, yet N$1.7 billion was allocated, resulting in an overallocation. “It is interesting to note that the GC40 also attracted significant interest of N$214…

Chamwe Kaira Windhoek Gymnasium, Walvis Bay Gymnasium and Oshana Gymnasium, the three schools jointly owned by Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)-listed Curro Holdings Limited, could soon have a new owner. Curro announced to shareholders on the JSE that its board has received a firm intention offer from the Jannie Mouton Trust.  The trust, through Stigting, plans to acquire all issued Curro shares and delist the company from the JSE. Billionaire Jannie Mouton, founder of PSG Group and Capitec, owns the trust and has offered N$7.2 billion for the shares. He established the trust in 2004 to invest in education. Since then,…

Chamwe Kaira  HyIron Green Technologies (Pty) Ltd will explore sourcing high-potential iron ore domestically and process it using its established green hydrogen-powered technology under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Broadmind Mining (Pty) Ltd and the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2P). The agreement aims to build a sustainable, low-carbon green industrial value chain in Namibia.  It will also strengthen the country’s mineral beneficiation capacity and support its goal of becoming a green industrial hub in Africa. The partnership will focus on Broadmind’s critical mineral assets, including rare-earth elements and iron ore, alongside HyIron’s green direct reduced iron (DRI)…

Chamwe Kaira Nedbank Group CEO Jason Quinn says Namibia’s dual economy means digital payments are becoming common in cities, while cash remains dominant in rural areas. He said this is not because people resist change but because available tools have not always met the realities on the ground. “Limited connectivity, the cost of devices, and a lack of locally relevant solutions have been real barriers. We didn’t simply copy and paste a global solution,” Quinn said. According to the Bank of Namibia’s 2024 Annual Report, e-money transactions increased to N$43.7 billion in 2024 from N$37.7 billion in 2023.  Transaction volumes…

The markets closed last week (18 August to 22 August) on a positive note, with several sectors posting strong gains. The JSE All Share Index climbed to 102,724 points, up 774 points from last week, marking a 0.76% increase. Since the start of the year, the index has risen an impressive 22.15%, reaching its highest level yet in 2025. On the Namibian Stock Exchange, Namibia’s Overall Index gained 1.29% to settle at 1,835.39 points, while the Local Index inched up slightly by 0.04% to 754.19 points, continuing its steady growth of 9.09% since December 2024. Among the major sectors, real…

Staff Writer Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) has announced the deployment of 5G services in Namibia. The announcement was made this week at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair. With the soft launch, MTC becomes the first operator in the country to introduce the technology.  The service is currently available in Ongwediva, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, and Windhoek. The company said more areas will be covered in the coming months as part of an aggressive rollout plan. MTC chief technical and information officer, Monica Nehemia, said the technology will be a key driver of Namibia’s digital economy. “We are proud to make 5G…

The Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) returns for its 24th edition from 22 to 30 August 2025 under the theme “Innovate – Connect – Prosper”. Observer Money chatted to the organisers. The organisers say the theme reflects the fair’s evolving role as a driver of innovation, partnerships and sustainable economic growth in Namibia.  Windhoek Observer (WO): What is the theme for this year’s trade fair and how did you arrive at the theme?  Lonia Nghuulikwa (LN): The 24th Edition of the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair is scheduled to take place from 22nd to 30th August 2025 under the theme "Innovate…