Author: Maihapa Ndjavera (Maihapa Ndjavera )

 Escalating prices of foodstuff, especially cooking oil, have squeezed informal vendors, who eke out a living on the popular street food, vetkoek. 

The green shoots on the horizon for Namibia are amplified through efforts to develop a green hydrogen ecosystem, and the recent discovery of commercially viable oil reserves in the country. These are among the top projects for government to drive the economic growth for the year 2023. 

Finance ministry stated the Value-Added Tax Amendment Act 2022 became effective on Sunday, 1 January 2023. 

The new year came with a blessing, as fuel prices were reduced for January, a month that traditionally comes with huge financial burdens after the holidays.

Trade ministry executive director Sikongo Haihambo said the N$190-million-dollar Peugeot Opel Assembly Namibia (POAN) venture at Walvis Bay faces challenges related to the export of vehicles assembled in Namibia to South Africa (SA).

The juggernaut that Namibia’s green hydrogen industry is expected to become moved one step closer to fruition after one of the four successful applicants for pilot projects, the Daures Green Hydrogen Village (DGHV), was launched in Windhoek on Friday. 

Namibian Business Hall of Fame (NBHF) held its induction ceremony for the 2022 nominees on Saturday night in the capital. Since 2004, each year, the NBHF honours entrepreneurs and business leaders who continue to set outstanding and exemplary leadership in contribution to national development goals and the socio-economic development of Namibia. 

Transport minister John Mutorwa says a three-day aviation forum held in the capital last week will pave the way for development of a series of policy and structural reforms in the domestic aviation sector. 

The Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration held a consultative meeting last week with the mines ministry to seek clarification on challenges, and how the committee can help the ministry address identified challenges.

Finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi said government remains committed to improving the socio-economic condition of Namibians and will continue to support vulnerable members of society given the availability of resources and as the global, regional and domestic economic situations improve.