Observer Money

NAMCOR hits jackpot on another oil discovery

NAMCOR hits jackpot on another oil discovery

Martin Endjala The National Petroleum Corporation Company (NAMCOR), in partnership with Galp Energia Operators and Custos, made an exciting announcement yesterday, revealing a significant oil discovery in the Mopane-1X exploration well, located in PEL83, the Orange Basin, offshore Namibia. This exciting discovery comes on the heels of the initial announcement made on January 2, 2024. PEL 83 JV partners have now officially confirmed the presence of a substantial column of light oil in high-quality, reservoir-bearing sands within the Cenomanian-Turonian interval. This marks the second oil discovery in the Upper Cretaceous Orange Basin, showcasing a functional petroleum system in the Upper…
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FIFA Expert on Health and wellbeing of female footballers in focus

FIFA Expert on Health and wellbeing of female footballers in focus

An enhanced focus on women’s specific sports science is essential for the future growth of the game and the protection of female athletes according to Dr Georgie Bruinvels. Dr Bruinvels, a FIFA Expert who works for Orreco and spoke at the recent FIFA Women’s Football Convention in Sydney says increased research is crucial as women’s football undergoes an unprecedented period of growth and professionalism. It is an area which falls under one of the pillars of FIFA’s Women’s Football Strategy: Educate & Empower. Dr Bruinvels says only 6 per cent of sports science research is exclusively focussed on females. “Obviously…
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Mastering Success: Embracing the Kaizen Way for Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Mastering Success: Embracing the Kaizen Way for Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Kaizen, a term originating from Japanese meaning "change for the better," embodies a philosophy deeply rooted in the pursuit of constant progress. It's not merely about monumental shifts but the accumulation of small, consistent improvements that elevate various aspects of life over time. Consider the minutiae of a morning routine, organizing a workspace or refining a to-do list. These small, habitual improvements mirror the Kaizen approach, valuing gradual changes over sudden leaps. Kaizen advocates for a mindset that appreciates the significance of incremental progress. Think about the evolution of a favourite automobile. Each model doesn't emerge as a revolutionary transformation;…
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MTC and TASA join forces for sustainable tourism growth

MTC and TASA join forces for sustainable tourism growth

Martin Endjala Mobile Telecommunication Company (MTC) and the Tour and Safari Association of Namibia (TASA) have joined forces to explore a strategic collaboration aimed at bringing innovative solutions to the travel and tourism sector. Due to the constant demand for innovation, the two organizations are working together to harness their resources for an improved user experience and sustainable tourism growth. Elton Katangolo, MTC's Acting Chief Commercial Officer, pointed out the importance of the tourism sector to Namibia’s economy while asserting MTC's commitment to incubate and implement digital service transformation. “Smart partnership is engraved in our makeup, and it excites me…
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No further macroprudential intervention required – BoN

No further macroprudential intervention required – BoN

Martin Endjala The Macroprudential Oversight Committee (MOC) of the Bank of Namibia, has determined that no further macroprudential policy intervention is required at this stage. The Bank will, however, continue to monitor the developments and when warranted, take the necessary remedial macroprudential action with the tools at its disposal. This is according to BoN Governor Johannes !Gawaxab, who shed light on the MOC's last meeting held last year on 07 December 2023 to assess potential risks and vulnerabilities in the Namibian Financial System. The Governor highlighted that following a comprehensive assessment of domestic and global economic conditions, the Committee deemed…
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Standard Bank looking for new chairman

Standard Bank looking for new chairman

Standard Bank Namibia has informed shareholders that because of regulatory processes that must still be finalised in relation to the appointment of a new chairman for the organisation, the tenure of Herbert Maier as a director and chairman on the board of SBN Holdings Limited and Standard Bank Namibia is herewith extended until further notice. The firm had said in September that it had extended of tenure of the chairman of the board of directors of the organisation until 31 December 2023. Maier was appointed to the SBN board of directors on 1 October 2010 as an independent non-executive director…
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Drop in manganese exports could hit Lüderitz

Drop in manganese exports could hit Lüderitz

In what could be bad news for the port of Lüderitz, which is used to export manganese from South Africa, United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK) has announced that, in response to the worsening market conditions, it will reduce the production of manganese ore and concomitant to that, the sale of its ore products, for the time being. “Softened demand side conditions have informed our decision to ease production and sales,” said UMK chief executive Malcolm Curror. He added that the company will return to normalised outputs when the market recovers. Curror noted that the temporary slowdown in production and sales…
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Oil rig leaves Namibia

Oil rig leaves Namibia

Northern Ocean Ltd, which has been operating an oil rig offshore Namibia has said that a subsidiary of Shell Plc did not exercise the remaining option available under the Deepsea Bollsta contract for work in Namibia. The Deepsea Bollsta is available from June 2024, and the company continues its ongoing dialogue with potential customers in the West African region and in harsh environment markets. The Deepsea Bollsta successfully transited from Norway to Namibia in December 2022 and commenced drilling exploration and appraisal wells in the Orange Basin. “The rig has maintained outstanding performance with the crews demonstrating the superior capabilities…
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Osino, Dundee deal sealed

Osino, Dundee deal sealed

Osino Resources has announced that it has completed the initial tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement of common shares of the company to Dundee Precious Metals Inc. The company issued 4,424,779 Common Shares to DPM at a price of C$1.13 per common share for aggregate gross proceeds to the company of C$5,000,000.27. The initial tranche of the offering was completed in connection with the arrangement agreement dated 17 December, between Osino and DPM whereby DPM will acquireall of the issued and outstanding common shares of Osino pursuant to a court-approved plan of arrangement. After giving effect to the…
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International reserves drop to N$50.6 billion

International reserves drop to N$50.6 billion

The Bank of Namibia’s stock of international reserves declined in November by 1.5% month to month to N$50.6 billion, relative to N$51.4 billion in October. The central bank said the decline is attributable to higher commercial bank outflows as a result of a rising import bills. The foreign reserves translated into 5.1 months of import cover, continuing to remain above the international benchmark of three months and adequate to support the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand currency peg. The central bank said the overall liquidity position of the banking industry decreased at the end of November. The industry’s…
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