Author: Maihapa Ndjavera (Maihapa Ndjavera )

Struggling Namibian consumers barely dealing with rising debt levels, inflationary pressure and dwindling disposable income now have to deal with another price hike that will certainly fuel an increased cost of most other goods.

Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) CEO Emilia Nghikembua stated total investment in the telecommunications sector declined during the fourth quarter of 2022. She cautioned that in the long run, this could result in poorer service quality due to congestion in some areas.

Mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo believes that among the challenges that could derail the effective implementation of a local content policy for the oil and gas sector is corruption.

Road Fund Administration (RFA) CEO Ali Ipinge has come out loud and clear that gradual increases in fuel-efficient vehicles on Namibian roads and the advent of electric vehicles are increasingly constraining the fund’s revenue.

The European Union (EU) and Namibia are devising a strategic plan for the implementation of an agreement the two parties signed to detail a way forward for sustainable raw material value chains and renewable hydrogen. This is according to the EU ambassador to Namibia Sinikka Antila. 

The trade ministry has partnered with the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK) to strengthen the capacity of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Namibia through the provision of business simulation training workshops.

Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, the preferred bidder for Namibia’s first-ever large-scale vertically integrated green hydrogen project, has secured an agreement with Koole Terminals to use its infrastructure to import green ammonia for the European market.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has cautioned that while Namibia is making progress in building new electricity-generating capacity, progress is not fast enough, and will not be sufficient to completely replace imports. The IPPR stated that this precarious situation is likely to last several years until the end of the decade.

An increase in the prime lending rate at commercial banks has direct implications for the debt-servicing cost of domestic households. This places additional strain on already vulnerable households severely weakening their ability to service both interest and capital repayments. This is substantiated by the growth in household debt.

President Hage Geingob has welcomed Heineken’s takeover of Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL), and has reminded the new controlling shareholders to focus on industrialisation and employment-creation.