Author: Edgar Brandt (Edgar Brandt )

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SB doubles down on renewable energy … commits N$450b 
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SB doubles down on renewable energy … commits N$450b 

As energy costs surge and squeeze margins across Namibia’s economy, corporates are being forced to rethink one of their most volatile input expenses, namely power.  At a Renewable Energy Breakfast hosted in Windhoek yesterday, Standard Bank Namibia delivered a blunt message to business leaders, municipalities and energy providers: the era of treating renewable energy as...

Business Editorial – Preferential access to Africa’s free trade not a strategy
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Business Editorial – Preferential access to Africa’s free trade not a strategy

When Namibia signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement in July 2018, ratified it in January 2019, and deposited its instruments with the African Union Commission shortly thereafter, it signalled more than compliance with a continental ambition.  It signalled Namibia’s belief in Africa as a viable market for domestic enterprises. Several years later, the question is no...

Steady, repo rate holds at 6.50%
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Steady, repo rate holds at 6.50%

The Bank of Namibia’s (BoN’s) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) yesterday announced that it opted for stability over stimulus, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 6.50% as it confronts a slowing domestic economy and an increasingly fragmented global monetary landscape.  The unchanged repo rate means that both loan repayments and interest returns at commercial banks will...

US on the offensive for Namibia’s critical minerals  …searches for strategic partners for future energy systems 
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US on the offensive for Namibia’s critical minerals  …searches for strategic partners for future energy systems 

Washington aims to see United States firms compete aggressively and successfully in Namibia’s offshore and critical minerals value chains.  To support this strategy, United States Ambassador to Namibia John Giordano recently completed a 10-day, three-country mission to mobilise American capital and technology into the country’s oil, gas and mining industries.  This is because the US...

Private health sector draws line in the sand 
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Private health sector draws line in the sand 

Private sector medical industry leaders have publicly acknowledged that the sector’s long-term survival depends on unprecedented levels of collaboration, transparency and internal accountability.  This was shared at a recent stakeholder roundtable meeting hosted by the Namibia Association of Medical Aid Funds (Namaf) at Avani Hotel and Casino in Windhoek.  Held under the theme “Rebuilding Trust...

Namibia’s grey list exit hinges on April assessment
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Namibia’s grey list exit hinges on April assessment

If an on-site inspection scheduled for April confirms that Namibia’s financial sector reforms are embedded and effective, then the country could soon close a difficult chapter in its financial governance history.  If the inspection does not prove fruitful, then Namibia’s grey list clock will keep ticking.  An exit from the grey list would send a...

UN trade chief to spotlight Namibia’s economic potential …could unlock N$14b, 26 000 jobs through beneficiation
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UN trade chief to spotlight Namibia’s economic potential …could unlock N$14b, 26 000 jobs through beneficiation

When secretary general of United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan addresses Namibians this Thursday, her visit will carry more than diplomatic symbolism.  The secretary general is visiting at a time when Namibia is at an economic crossroads, facing mineral wealth, high demand for jobs and the need for stability and long-term growth. At...

Londeka  introduces  warehouse
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Londeka  introduces  warehouse

Londeka, Namibia’s first digital logistics platform connecting shippers with verified truck owners, has taken a strategic step to deepen its footprint in the freight and relocation market by securing a dedicated warehouse facility. The new facility has been acquired to support relay, storage and distribution operations. The bold move marks a significant expansion for the...

Guarantee Authority emerges as financial ecosystem stabiliser …covers up to N$50 000 per depositor to boost consumer protection
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Guarantee Authority emerges as financial ecosystem stabiliser …covers up to N$50 000 per depositor to boost consumer protection

“Our new Strategic Plan aims to cement the gains we have made and position the NDGA as a future-fit institution committed to protecting depositors’ funds.” With those words, Namibia Deposit Guarantee Authority (NDGA) Deputy Chairperson Linda Dumba Chicalu set the tone for the official release of the institution’s 2026–2028 Strategic Plan last week. The strategy...