The Miss Namibia pageant has undergone a huge transformation since the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) took full ownership, with national pride and social impact now at the heart of the competition. According to NBC’s Chief Commercial Officer, Nico Mwiya, the broadcaster’s involvement has repositioned the pageant from a struggling event with limited reach to a national platform that empowers women...
MTC’s legacy reverberates in Namibian music
Once hailed as the backbone of Namibia’s music industry, Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) may have stepped back from the spotlight, but its influence continues to reverberate across the nation’s creative landscape. In recent years, the pace of activity in the entertainment sector appears to have slowed, particularly since MTC scaled down its flagship involvement with the Namibia Annual Music Awards...
New Zurich-Windhoek direct flight set to boost domestic tourism
Air Connect Namibia has welcomed a twice-weekly non-stop Edelweiss service between Zurich Airport (ZRH) and Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH). The new service commenced on Tuesday, 1 June 2026. The introduction of the Zurich-Windhoek route is a landmark in Namibia’s efforts to strengthen ties with European markets. It also positions the country as an increasingly attractive gateway to Southern...
DBN secures Green Climate Fund accreditation
The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) announced its accreditation by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a Direct Access Entity (DAE) under the medium-sized project category. This landmark achievement was confirmed during the GCF’s 42nd Board Meeting held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 30 June to 3 July 2025. The Green Climate Fund is a global fund created...
Cash loan lending up 13% …number of borrowers up to 260 000
Of the more than 100 Non-Banking Financial Institutions (NBFI) that were non-compliant with directives issued by the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa), more than 90% are operating in the micro-lending sector. Namfisa was established to supervise and advise the finance minister on matters relating to financial institutions and financial services. In its first quarter statistical report released this week,...
Opinion – Bullies fuel depression
Looking at many social issues, one gets to realise that many times, people are being bullied. This bullying goes further and causes many other unintended damages in homes, workplaces and personal lives. Society needs to understand this societal killer, and those who bully others need to understand the damage they are causing in communities. What is bullying? Bullying is regarded...
Opinion – Kunene Dam: A lasting drought solution
The recent New Era article published on 1 July 2025, titled ‘NNN pushes for construction of a dam in Kunene region,’ resonated deeply with me not only as a scholar from Kunene but also as someone whose own academic work has pointed toward the same solution. I wholeheartedly applaud Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (NNN) for embracing this bold vision to...
Opinion – Prioritise MSMEs to unleash Namibia’s potential
The Namibian government relies heavily on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to drive competitiveness and inclusive growth. Closing the finance gap for MSMEs is crucial for improving productivity, fostering long-term growth, and creating better jobs. The potential of MSMEs to create a livelihood makes them vital for improving household quality of life and reducing poverty. To alleviate some of...
Opinion – From despair to hope … how sport could rescue Opuwo youth
When the historic government-owned Newman Katuta Stadium in Opuwo was controversially sold to a northern businessman in 2013, the town’s youth felt betrayed. To many, it was a sign their leaders no longer cared about their interests and future. Some compared the move to the biblical betrayal: a ‘Judas moment’ in which a place of purpose and pride was traded...
‘Nam to borrow more for less’ …nation drops to lower-middle-income
Namibia is the only country in the world to have suffered a downgrade by the World Bank Group’s latest classification. The global financial institution has now officially labelled Namibia a lower-middle-income country from the previous classification as an upper-middle-income country. The World Bank bases this classification on Gross National Income (GNI) per capita expressed in US dollars according to the...