Credit uptake remains low despite unchanged repo rate

Credit uptake remains low despite unchanged repo rate

Martin Endjala Despite the repo rate holding steady at 7.75 percent, corporate credit uptake remains weak due to the private sector's reluctance to borrow under the current unfavourable economic conditions, where both economic activity and interest rates fail to stimulate credit demand for businesses. Economist and Independent Bank Researcher, Josef Sheehama provided this insight in response to the Bank of Namibia's announcement yesterday regarding the maintained repo rate at 7.75 percent. "Due to market volatility, private sectors are adopting a watch-and-see attitude instead of applying for facilities to invest in businesses. They are postponing business expansion and opting to restructure…
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Meet Bakpro Oshana Millennial Queens

Meet Bakpro Oshana Millennial Queens

Bakpro Oshana Millennial Queens is a women football team which hails from Ondangwa and plays in Oshana Women regional league which just kicked off on saturday last week.This team is proudly sponsored by Bakpro as well as Ondangwa SME Youth Expo. Bakpro players spend time working at GD EVENTS & PROMOTIONS CC a company which specializes in Corporate marketing, Activations and Events management on their off days inorder for the players to be able to earn something to sustain the players and the team in general.
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Namibia Sports Commission host Sport Conference and Expo and NASA 2023

Namibia Sports Commission host Sport Conference and Expo and NASA 2023

Swakopmund , Namibia : The Namibia Sports Commission is hosting the Namibia Sports Award 2023 on October 28th at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund. This exciting event will feature several activities leading up to the awards ceremony. The event kicked off with a sports conference and expo. This includes a 1.5-day conference from October 25th to 26th, featuring workshops and panel discussions. The conference likely focuses on various aspects of sports, including sports diplomacy, player agency, and the journey of Namibian Olympic athletes. The highlight of the event will be the annual Namibia Sports Awards ceremony taking place on Saturday,…
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CAF’s Jacqueline Shipanga Commends Progress in Women’s Football Development

CAF’s Jacqueline Shipanga Commends Progress in Women’s Football Development

In a recent development, Jacqueline Shipanga, a prominent technical expert associated with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), expressed her admiration for the strides made in the development of women’s football on the continent. Shipanga, who played a pivotal role in conducting the Elite Women Instructors course, shared her thoughts on the ongoing journey towards empowering women in football. The CAF New Women Instructors course was initiated with the goal of identifying potential Women Instructors within Member Associations (MAs) who could further evolve into local, zonal, and CAF Instructors. Speaking in reference to the CAF Convention, Shipanga highlighted the extensive…
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Critical raw minerals are key components of industrialisation

Critical raw minerals are key components of industrialisation

Martin Endjala Critical raw minerals, vital components of Namibia’s industrialization drive, must be developed in a way that aligns with the country’s industrialization goals and enhances its capacity to add value where feasible. This assertion was made by Sikongo Haihambo, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, during the European Union-Namibia business forum in Brussels, Belgium, held yesterday. “In the Namibian context, all minerals are crucial, and in 2021, we collaborated with the Ministry of Mines and Energy to establish a National Mineral Beneficiation Strategy. The guiding principles of our strategy revolve around value addition and fostering…
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Namibia stops Chinese miner from transporting lithium ore

Namibia stops Chinese miner from transporting lithium ore

Niël Terblanché Namibia’s government has instructed the Namibian Police to prevent the transportation of lithium ore by Chinese mining company Xinfeng Investments within the country. The action also prevents the export of raw materials from the Port of Walvis Bay and is in response to allegations that Xinfeng Investments is violating Namibia’s ban on the export of critical raw minerals. Namibia’s Mining Commissioner, Isabella Chirchir, issued a letter dated October 19th, instructing the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, to halt any trucks carrying raw lithium ore originating from Xinfeng’s Kohero mine, located near Uis about…
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Home Affairs Ministry refutes allegations of election fraud

Home Affairs Ministry refutes allegations of election fraud

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has responded forcefully to an article purportedly published by a Angolan newspaper, Para Portuguese, with the headline “Registration of Angolan nationals may backfire.” The article’s allegations of possible election fraud have been strongly refuted by Ettienne Maritz, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Maritz addressed the claims made in the article, which suggested that Namibian officials crossed the border into Angola in September to issue Namibian identity documents to Angolan nationals at Ondjiva, specifically in the Tuviticha building. According to Maritz, the alleged purpose of this…
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Amushelelo plans another protest against unemployment

Amushelelo plans another protest against unemployment

Stefanus Nashama Social activist Michael Amushelelo announced this week his intention to organize a national protest against unemployment in the country. Amushelelo, who was recently released from prison a few weeks ago, informed the Windhoek Observer that the peaceful protest will commence once preparations are made, including seeking approval from the Namibian Police. He spent approximately seven months behind bars following his arrest by the Namibian Police on Namibia’s Independence Day celebrations for spearheading and organizing a protest of a similar nature. Despite being denied bail multiple times during his detention this year, he was acquitted of all charges and…
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Namibia and EU join forces for Sustainable Development

Namibia and EU join forces for Sustainable Development

Niël Terblanché In a historic address at the Inaugural Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Namibian President Hage Geingob outlined a collaborative vision for a sustainable future, stressing the importance of green energy transition and green hydrogen in the global landscape. President Geingob’s remarks came during a Leaders Session at the forum, where leaders from around the world convened to discuss critical issues related to sustainability. The President recounted his significant meeting with Dr Ursula von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, at COP27 in Sharm-El Sheikh, Egypt, last year. During this meeting, the two leaders signed a Memorandum of…
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Medical Stores seeks N$25 million to address medicine shortages

Medical Stores seeks N$25 million to address medicine shortages

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Central Medical Store under the Ministry of Health and Social Services has appealed for an increased budget of N$25 million for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in a bid to address crucial medication shortages and enhance service delivery. This request comes after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Social Development and Family Affairs visited the facility to assess the situation. During the visit, officials highlighted a pressing issue affecting the availability of essential medications, particularly hypertensives, and diabetes drugs. The Medical Store representative emphasised the urgency of the situation, saying, “We are missing about ten crucial medications,…
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