Justicia Shipena
Blue Crane Safaris Namibia CC, OLC Arandis Solar Energy Corporation, and Lizwise Investment emerged as top winners at the Development Bank of Namibia’s 2025 Good Business and Innovation Awards, held on Monday evening at the Windhoek Country Club and Resort.
The event marked two decades of celebrating Namibian entrepreneurship and innovation.
Winners were recognised across three key categories: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Large Enterprises, and the DBN Innovation Award.
Blue Crane Safaris Namibia CC was named winner in the SME category, with Ongula Homestead Group as first runner-up.
In the Large Enterprise category, OLC Arandis Solar Energy Corporation walked away with top honours, while Quanta Holdings (Pty) Ltd was named first runner-up.
Lizwise Investment won the DBN Innovation Award for its pioneering Mahangu Pasta innovation.
The first runner-up in the innovation category was Wapa-Nawa Recycling Centre, while AUDAX Coatings came in as the second runner-up.
Cash prizes were awarded to the winners: N$150,000 for the SME category, N$250,000 for the large enterprise category, and N$400,000 for the innovation award.
Finance and Public Enterprises Minister Ericah Shafudah commended the DBN for its continued support of inclusive and transformative economic development.
She praised the bank for investing over N$21 billion into the Namibian economy since its inception and for contributing to the creation of more than 76,000 jobs.
“Tonight we mark a milestone – two decades of DBN’s Good Business and Innovation Awards –a testament to how far Namibian entrepreneurship has come,” she said.
“DBN’s funding for SMEs, youth, and women-led businesses shows that empowerment and inclusion are integral to our economic development.”
Shafudah highlighted the importance of innovation in driving economic resilience.
“Innovation is not a luxury; it is an absolute necessity for economic resilience and sustainability,” she said while encouraging continued support for strategic sectors like green hydrogen, agro-processing and digital services.
“Innovation must go hand in hand with inclusive development” Economic growth is not meaningful unless it benefits all Namibians,” she added.
“When DBN lends to a young business or a woman-led cooperative, it is creating jobs and driving social transformation.”
DBN Acting CEO John Mbango said the awards go beyond recognising success they affirm the role of purpose-driven businesses in building a resilient and inclusive economy.
“The Good Business Awards have recognised enterprises that embody sustainable development, create jobs, embrace innovation, practise good governance, and uplift communities, he said.
He noted that under DBN’s 2024–2029 integrated strategic plan, the bank aims to drive sustainable growth by expanding access to finance for underserved sectors and communities. This includes a growing emphasis on green finance and digital transformation to improve the bank’s accessibility and efficiency.
“We are streamlining our application processes to enable a broader spectrum of entrepreneurs to engage with DBN as a responsive and forward-thinking development finance partner,” Mbango stated.
