Page 41 – Windhoek Observer

05 Mar

SADC reviews SRHR progress

National News

Moses Magadza A two-day annual review meeting of the Sweden-funded Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV and AIDS Governance Project of the SADC Parliamentary Forum ended in Luanda, Angola on Tuesday. The meeting closed with strong appreciation for progress made and urgent calls for domestic resource mobilisation to safeguard hard-won gains amid shifting global funding realities. Hosted by the National Assembly of Angola, the meeting brought together members of parliament, parliamentary staff, development partners, UN agencies and civil society to assess implementation and chart the next phase of the regional initiative. Opening the review, Angolan member of parliament…

05 Mar

NYC acting director quits after 25 days … cites Masua’s ‘disrespect’

Main, National News

Renthia Kaimbi Allegations of disrespect from the interim executive chairperson and board have forced the acting director of the National Youth Council (NYC) to resign after just 25 days in the role. The Windhoek Observer has learnt that Mzingisi Gqwede, who was appointed acting director on 3 February 2026, resigned on Friday. His departure has deepened instability at the youth institution. NYC’s programmes manager, Sircca Nghitila, was appointed acting director yesterday. Sources inside the institution say tensions escalated when Gqwede refused to approve sitting fees for the board’s fourth and fifth extraordinary meetings. The dispute centred on whether the meetings…

05 Mar

Namibia prepares to defend extended continental shelf claim

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Namibia is strengthening its technical and scientific capacity as it prepares to defend its extended continental shelf claim before the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The continental shelf refers to the part of the ocean floor that is shallower than the deep sea and usually follows the outline of the continent. Its width differs from place to place. In some areas the seabed drops close to land, while in other areas it stretches hundreds of kilometres into the ocean. Namibia’s Walvis Ridge forms part of this wider seabed structure. To support its claim,…

05 Mar

Fund recovers N$15m from confiscated crime assets

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The Criminal Assets Recovery Fund (CARF) recovered just over N$15 million in the 2024/25 financial year. This represents an increase of just over N$300 000 compared to the amount recovered in 2023/24. The fund is financed through proceeds derived from confiscated criminal assets. It aims to ensure that money and property forfeited through crime are redirected toward public benefit. Funds recovered through CARF support crime prevention programmes, strengthen investigative capacity and fund projects aimed at reducing the social impact of criminal activity. According to the report, allocations from the fund were directed toward initiatives that support the work…

05 Mar

Oil price shocks could widen Namibia’s trade deficit

Observer Money

Staff Writer Namibia is likely to feel the full impact of a global oil price shock because of its fixed exchange rate with South Africa and its reliance on imported fuel, according to a report by Simonis Storm. The Namibian dollar is pegged one-to-one to the South African rand under the Common Monetary Area. When the rand weakens against the US dollar, the Namibian dollar weakens by the same amount. Any rise in rand-denominated oil prices in South Africa is also reflected in Namibia. Namibia therefore has no independent exchange rate mechanism to soften external shocks. The Bank of Namibia…

05 Mar

FirstRand launches N$150 billion domestic note programme

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira FirstRand Limited has launched a N$150 billion domestic medium-term note (DMTN) programme to raise funds in the South African capital market. The programme allows FirstRand to issue a range of unsecured debt instruments. It enables the group to raise up to N$150 billion in total outstanding nominal value, unless the limit is increased under the programme’s terms. In Namibia, FirstRand Namibia Group owns FNB Namibia and RMB Namibia. Notes under the programme may be issued on a continuous basis. They may be structured as senior or subordinated instruments. Some notes may qualify as regulatory capital or FLAC (FirstRand…

05 Mar

Proflight Zambia launches Windhoek service

Observer Money

Staff Writer Proflight Zambia has launched a new Lusaka–Livingstone–Windhoek flight service, creating a direct link between Zambia and Namibia. The route connects the three cities and allows passengers to travel between Lusaka, Livingstone and Windhoek on the same day. The airline says the service will support business travel, tourism and investment between the two countries. Speaking at the launch, Zambian minister of transport and logistics Frank Museba Tayali said the new service supports the government’s plan to position Zambia as a transport and logistics hub in the region. “You all know that it has been a long aspiration of our…

05 Mar

BoN and SARB sign agreement on financial supervision

Observer Money

Staff Writer The governor of the Bank of Namibia, Ebson Uanguta, and the governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Lesetja Kganyago, have signed a revised memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Pretoria, South Africa. The signing took place during Uanguta’s courtesy visit to the South African Reserve Bank and strengthens cooperation between the two central banks. The new agreement replaces the earlier memorandum signed on 11 September 2015. The revised MoU reflects changes in the financial sector in both countries. It recognises stronger supervisory roles for central banks, the development of resolution frameworks and the growing complexity of financial institutions…

05 Mar

Oryx earnings expected to grow by over 30%

Observer Money

Staff Writer Oryx Properties Limited expects stronger interim financial results for the period ended 31 December 2025. In a trading statement issued under the Namibia Securities Exchange Listings Requirements, the company informed unitholders that its distribution per linked unit is expected to increase by between 10% and 30% compared to the same period last year. Earnings per share, profit for the period and headline earnings are also expected to rise by more than 30% compared to the previous corresponding period. The company said the improvement is linked to operational contributions from the Platz am Meer Shopping Centre and a supportive…

05 Mar

MTC 4 Life to empower 30 youth in ǁKaras

Observer Money

Staff Writer MTC has launched the MTC 4 Life 2026 project to equip young Namibians with practical skills and support for small businesses. The programme will focus on 30 youth from the ǁKharas Region. It targets self-employed and unemployed people between the ages of 18 and 35. Participants will receive practical training and basic business support to help them start or grow small businesses. The training will run for seven days. Participants will learn skills in trades such as hairdressing, barbering, baking, leatherwork, sewing and cell phone repair. Each trade will train up to five participants or more to allow…