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The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) has encouraged the public to adhere to all public notices issued by government in relation to Covid-19 and to contact their medical aid funds for clarity on their benefit option limits.
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Petrol prices will come down by a whopping N$1.70 per litre and diesel will decrease N$1.20 per litre on 1 April 2020 as global demand for the oil wanes in the face of the crippling impact of the Covid-19 outbreak. The massive drop in local oil prices was announced even as the local currency depreciated against the United States greenback.
Ethiopian Airlines, the Pan-African carrier, has delivered medical supplies donated by Jack Ma, the founder of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba, to 39 African countries within five days.
Air Namibia recently confirmed the temporary suspension of all flights, inclusive of domestic and regional flights effective today, 27 March, until 20 April. Long haul flights (international) remain suspended since 14 March and further updates will be communicated.
When Namibia recorded its first case of corona on 14 March 2020, President Hage Geingob put measures in place to safeguard the lives of the Namibian citizens. However, on 24 March 2020, Namibia had seven confirmed cases of Covid-19.
OMUTHIYA – The Omuthiya Town Council has banned street vendors and informal traders at open markets in anticipation of the lockdown instituted by President Hage Geingob with effect on Friday.
MTC has embarked on an aggressive response strategy to help fight Coronavirus, setting in motion a plan to be funded with N$1 million. The funds will be distributed to different critical areas as per the strategy, including information sharing, education sharing, prevention, facility investment, as well as service delivery.
RUNDU - The Covid-19 outbreak will cause a major slowdown in economic activity in Namibia, as it has done elsewhere in the world, local economic analyst Mally Likukela said this week
Selma Nampila is an example of a really disadvantaged Namibian. She was born 42 years ago in the village Ehwalyatulu in the Oshikoto region.
As Namibians and the international community continue to intensify efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, FNB says it is committed to help its customers stay healthy by banking safely and conveniently.
In response to the announcement by the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Namibia to decrease the policy rate as announced on 20 March 2020, Bank Windhoek hereby confirms the reduction of its Prime Lending Rate by 1.00% from 10.00% to 9.00%. The Mortgage Lending Rate will decrease from 11.00% to 10.00%
Covid-19’s arrival in Namibia turned the country upside down with emergency measures announced and implemented to prevent the spread of the virus within the country’s borders.
Economists and business leaders have hailed former central bank governor Iipumbu Shiimi as new finance minister as a welcome development, given his extensive economic and banking background. President Geingob on Sunday appointed Shiimi to the finance ministry while former finance minister Calle Schlettwein, a trained biologist, has been moved to the merged agriculture, water and land reform ministry.
MTC’s Chief Financial Officer Thinus Smit yesterday outlined the financial results of Namibia’s first cellular service provider when he confirmed an increase in revenue by 4.62% to N$2.614 billion for the 2018/19 financial year.
The Bank of Namibia’s (BoN’s) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Friday cut the repo rate by 100 basis points, from 6.25% to 5.25% to help cushion the anticipated impact of Covid-19 and support domestic economic activity, while maintaining the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which is wreaking havoc across the globe, has the potential to significantly increase Namibia’s unemployment as it is no longer a health crisis but an economic, labour market and social crisis too.
The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has confirmed the suspension of the census mapping exercise. As per the directive from President Hage Geingob, calling for a state of emergency because of the Covid-19 outbreak, NSA’s statistician general and CEO Alex Shimuafeni on Friday confirmed the Census mapping has been put on hold until 14 April 2020, or at least until the situation stabilises.
Standard Bank management says it continues to monitor the spread of Covid-19 infections globally and locally. To this effect, the bank says it understands the imperative to serve the Namibian public and provide critical services during this difficult time.
In response to the confirmed Covid-19 cases in Namibia and the directives issued by the government and head of state, NamPost has implemented preventative measures as part of its overall action plan to protect the health of staff and clients throughout the country. As part of preventative measures, there will be restrictions on the number of clients in the post office dependent on the post office lay-out and size and customers will be requested to keep a distance of at least a metre as directed by the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
In response to Namibia’s first confirmed coronavirus (Covid-19) cases, Bank Windhoek has implemented preventative measures as part of its overall action plan to ensure the health and safety of its staff and clients at all its branches and departments countrywide.
Certain national developmental agendas can only be achieved through public education and some of the crucial issues pertaining to this, according to the Bank of Namibia, are policies related to fees and charges at banks and financial institutions. Director of Payment and Settlement Systems at the central bank, Barbara Dreyer, said that access to affordable financial products and services is a key driver for economic development.
The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) is aware of the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) and has taken the necessary precautions to protect its staff members by encouraging them to practice best hygienic methods such as washing their hands with soap regularly, applying alcohol-based hand sanitisers and wearing of protective gear such as masks and gloves where necessary.
MTC is set to create temporary employment opportunities for artisans in all 14 regions when it embarks on its project to paint Namibia blue.
Businesses in the country are adhering to the call of President Hage Geingob on the suspension of mass gatherings for at least 30 days. This after Namibia confirmed two cases of coronavirus last week. Most events that were scheduled for April including expos and graduation ceremonies are now postponed.
The FNB House Price Index stood at -4.7% y/y as at December 2019 compared to 0.5% y/y recorded over the same period of the preceding year. On a quarterly basis, the house price index growth has averaged -5.1% y/y in Q4 of 2019 compared to -2.4% y/y realised over the same period of 2018.
Well-known Namibian company, Trustco, has implemented various measures to mitigate against the coronavirus disease to keep staff and customers at its local, continental and international operations as protected as possible from the pandemic that shook the world the past few days.
Given the current world events and the WHO declaring the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic, local economists are sharing their views and the expected impact of the Covid-19 on domestic, regional and global markets.
OMUTHIYA – Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb recently purchased industry heavy-duty machinery to be used in transportation of materials at the smelting mine. The machinery was procured from Barloworld Equipment Namibia to the tune of N$25 million and was handed over to Dundee last month.
The coronavirus outbreak is having an extreme impact on the global financial markets. According to Capricorn Asset Management (CAM) the real cost to the actual economies is still unknown, and the future effects cannot be accurately determined as the situation is still developing.
The wholesale and retail trade sector is expected to recover to positive growth in 2020, after contractions during the preceding three years. Bank of Namibia projections show that the wholesale and retail sector is anticipated to grow by 1.4% and 1.5% during 2020 and 2021 respectively, from an estimated contraction of 2.5% in 2019.
The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) recently signed an agreement with the Nkurenkuru Town Council for a N$2.58 million feasibility study, funded by the bank’s Project Preparation Fund (PPF) for the town’s proposed Extension 6.
Air Namibia has confirmed the resignation of its long-serving General Manager of Commercial Services, Xavier Swaniso Masule, with effect as of 10 April 2020.
Global airlines have been among the hardest-hit by the Covid-19 outbreak as global air travel demand has basically collapsed since the outbreak of the virus, even before the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.
Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development Tjekero Tweya on Friday launched a Strategic Action Plan for Sustainable Bush Value Chains in Namibia during the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the Namib Green Gold Processing (NGGP) production facility.
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A N$134.6 million state-of–the–art Bakpro bread factory situated north of Windhoek at Okapuka farm was officially opened by Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development Minister Tjekero Tweya yesterday.
Over the last 10 years, the SME sector has seen a trend of more women taking up opportunities in franchising and this is expected to further increase over the next five years.
Diamond polishing companies currently operating within the soon-to-be-phased-out Export Processing Zone (EPZ) regime, where they enjoy a zero-tax holiday, will be catered for by transitional measures by the which is being finalised by the Ministry of Finance and other relevant government departments.
Different stakeholders in the sphere of labour activities have encouraged Namibia to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention related to violence and harassment in the world of work in order to address, prevent and subsequently eliminate such practices in the workplace.
Construction of the N$5.5 billion national oil storage facility at Walvis Bay, which was anticipated to be completed last month, is now at a standstill because of the global outbreak of coronavirus as the main contractors are Chinese who could not return to Namibia for final testing of the facility.
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The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) yesterday launched its new corporate identity. Officiating at the occasion, Deputy Minister of Finance, Natangwe Ithete, said that for any business or organisation, a logo is the face of the company and in today’s competitive environment “a company and organisation needs to build strong, positive images and reputation in order to be distinguished from others”.
The national airline has confirmed a reduction of already at least 24% on its passenger load on the Windhoek to Frankfurt route alone for January and February compared to the same time last year as a direct result of coronavirus fears.
International Women’s Day gives us the opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made in terms of banking innovation towards financial inclusion for women.
FirstRand Namibia Limited yesterday reported results for the six months to 31 December 2019. The results show that for the six-month period the Group’s headline earnings increased 13.3% with a Return on Equity (ROE) of 24.6%.
Last week Nedbank Namibia hosted an information sharing session for local businesses in need of financing specifically aimed at sustainable and green projects. At the event, participants heard firsthand how they could make use of the funding available to green their operations or start a climate-friendly business project.
Over the past 10 plus years the national rail services operator, TransNamib, has incurred losses of more than N$1 billion but these financial misfortunes may soon be turned around as relatively new CEO, Johny Smith, aims to bring the parastatal into profitability within the next two years.
Capricorn Group partnered with the Ministry of Finance to carry out a two-day risk management workshop on 2 and 3 March 2020. The training was facilitated by the group’s Business Risk Officer, Horst Simon.
About six months after the completion of Namport’s new N$4.2 billion Walvis Bay container terminal, the port authority says it has been receiving enquiries from potential clients who are eager to move business through the new terminal.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) on Wednesday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for production and broadcasting services.
The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has projected growth in the manufacturing sector to slow down in 2020 and 2021. This is mainly due to being compared to a high base from 2019 that the central bank predicts will result in the sector to grow by 0.9% and 1.3% in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Namibia joined the rest of the world to mark the first World Engineering Day at an event organised by the Engineering Council of Namibia (ECN).
The Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Act (Namibia) was implemented to meet the country’s industrialization goals. The policy is currently in the process to be phased out and replaced by the Special Economic Zone Act (SEZ) which might take another year before being fully implemented.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global airfreight markets showing that African carriers posted the fastest growth of any region in January 2020.
African governments still need to do far more to strengthen their cultures of governance, ethical and professional leadership.
Businesses that thrive during uncertainty are those that have eagle eyes to identify critical opportunities within their macro-economic environments. Internal positioning is one of the core critical elements that help organisations create competitive capabilities in order to navigate all economic volatilities.
The national rail services operator, TransNamib, recently successfully hosted its first annual general meeting (AGM) in seven years where it presented the government, as its sole shareholder, with an unqualified audit for the past financial year.
The prolonged recession that has gripped the domestic economy for the better part of the last three to four years is expected to be something of the past, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday projected that Namibia will see positive growth in 2020 as the drought fades and mining production picks ramps up.
Air Namibia on Sunday confirmed the suspension of three of its senior managers with immediate effect. The suspensions, which took effect on Friday, 28 February were of Wimpie van Vuuren, senior manager: sales and marketing; Johannes Blaauw, manager: cargo sales, and Abraham Nasab, manager: cargo operations.
Standard Bank has cautioned the public to be vigilant as incidents of vishing are becoming more prevalent, resulting in many clients losing their hard-earned money at the hands of criminal syndicates.
Some relief for motorists and consumers is expected on Wednesday, 4 March, as the Ministry of Mines and Energy has confirmed that Diesel 50 PPM will decrease 30 cents per litre, while 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol will remain unchanged
The just-released 2019 Fraser Institute survey of Mining Companies indicates a slight improvement in Namibia as an attractive mining jurisdiction.
The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has predicted economic growth of 1.5% this year; however, a key sector such as agriculture is expected to remain in contraction.
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The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) is a statutory pension fund that was created by the Namibian government to provide pension and other related benefits to civil servants as well as employees of participating institutions established by Acts of Parliament. GIPF is a defined pension fund that provides guaranteed pension benefits to its large membership base, and the benefits are defined in terms of the Rules of the Fund.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Nico Smit said the loopholes created by the tax concessions for Export Processing Zone (EPZ) companies and certain manufacturing firms have long been a direct and substantial source of revenue loss for the government.
Telecommunications giant MTC has set its sights on providing low-cost houses to the homeless and targets to hand over close to 270 houses in the next two years, said Tim Ekandjo, chief human capital and corporate affairs officer at MTC.
Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa this week motivated the Communications Amendment Bill in the National Assembly.
MTC executive Tim Ekandjo yesterday announced the completion of phase one of the 081Every1 network project, which was worth N$232 million. He said the 081Every1 network project is well on track.
Minister of Finance Calle Schlettwein says Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are an excellent opportunity for the development of the Namibian economy.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is expected to increase its Africa financing to €4 billion (N$65.2 billion at an exchange rate of 16.3) in 2020. Looking ahead, the EIB expects to significantly increase engagement in both sub-Saharan and North Africa and to provide the €4 billion to support public and private investment across the continent in 2020.
De Beers Marine (Debmarine) Namibia’s revenue, production and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) declined with significant percentages for the 2019 financial year.
The rental market continues to bottom-out although at a moderate pace. In effect, the FNB Rental Index as at December 2019 shows a contraction of 0.8% - reflecting a steep improvement from a contraction of 8.6% recorded over the same period in 2018.
The FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust recently donated N$20 000 toward the NUST Career Starter Week (CSW) Workshop. The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and B360 Education Partnerships first piloted the CSW Workshop in 2017.
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The Government Institutions Pension Fund’s unqualified audit opinion for the period ended March 2019 shows that the fund’s asset base increased by 6.3% from N$111.1 billion to N$118.1 billion.
The year 2020 is a special year for NWR as the company becomes 21 years old just as Namibia celebrates becoming 30 years of age. In this context, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has confirmed an unbelievable independence discount during the month of March 2020 with added incentives.
Capricorn Investment Group Limited reported satisfactory results on Thursday with group profit after tax of N$557 million for the six months ended 31 December 2019, increasing by 7.9% compared to the prior period.
The Namibia Network of the Cosmetics Industry (NANCi) with the support of the joint project between the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), Promotion of Business Advisory and Economic Transformation Services (ProBATS), and the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development sent a delegation of 10 SMEs to exhibit Cosmetics Made in Namibia products at the Vivaness 2020 organic and natural cosmetics trade fair. The event took place in Nürnberg, Germany from 12 to 15 February.
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Capricorn Group’s New Management Development Programme (NMDP), where the Group, in conjunction with the University of Stellenbosch Business School, is developing a new generation of emerging leaders, was launched on Tuesday, 18 February.
The Income Tax Amendment Bill 2020, which calls for the abolishment of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) tax incentives and the manufacturer’s tax incentives, was submitted to the National Assembly by Finance Minister, Calle Schlettwein, on Wednesday.
The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) and the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) have embarked on a project through which insurance intermediaries (agents and brokers) rendering financial services to the public (policyholder/potential policyholder) will soon be subjected to a compulsory market entry examination.
Annually the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) supports children annuitants (a child of a deceased GIPF member) by providing financial assistance towards their studies.
The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) and the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) have embarked on a project through which insurance intermediaries (agents and brokers) rendering financial services to the public (policyholder/potential policyholder) will soon be subjected to a compulsory market entry examination.
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The director of the Labour Inspectorate Directorate in the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Aune Mudjanima, has tasked all labour inspectors to improve their service delivery and once again secure trust among the Namibian people.
Yesterday the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia announced a reduction of the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%.
Namibia has declared an interest in ratifying the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 concerning the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work.
The Otjinene Expo aims to put the town of Otjinene on the map by attracting more investors and to showcase the Omaheke region’s aptitude for rearing cattle.
International rating agencies and investors place a premium on power generation as a major factor contributing to industrial activity and economic growth.
The Namibian Traffic Information System (NaTis) has generated N$703.4 million in revenue derived from road user charges during the 2018/19 financial year.
Yesterday, at the annual PMR Awards ceremony in Windhoek, Salt Essential IT was presented with three Diamond Arrow Awards.
MTC last week confirmed the imminent launch of its ‘Taamba’ product line, which will be offering three solutions, namely Taamba Gifting, Taamba Advance, and Taamba Transfer.
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), without necessarily responding to all the matters raised, has issued a statement on the issue pertaining to the laying of fibre optic cables in the municipal boundaries of the City of Windhoek by Paratus Telecommunications (Pty) Limited.
The Bank of Namibia has confirmed it will launch a commemorative banknote on 21 March 2020. The Bank is mandated by the Bank of Namibia Act 1997 (Act No. 15 of 1997) as amended, to issue banknotes and coins as legal tender in Namibia.
The Electricity Control Board (ECB) of Namibia recorded an increase in total revenue of 3.6% from N$86.3 million from the previous financial year to N$89.4 million for the 2018/2019 financial year.
Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi yesterday encouraged the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Secretariat to consider sharpening collaboration with leading institutions relevant to its work.
Vivo Energy, the distributor and marketer of Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Namibia, rewarded high-performing truck drivers for the year 2019, at their Drivers Recognition Awards, during a ceremony held at the Protea Marriott Hotel in Walvis Bay.
Despite an extremely challenging year for the Namibian economy coupled with the introduction of synthetic diamonds, Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) outperformed its target by an increase of 17% in gross profit compared to the previous financial year.
Arandis Power has responded to environmental concerns raised regarding power plant driven by low sulphur heavy fuel oil through which it is has offered to supply South Africa’s Eskom with 120MW of electricity.
The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation has confirmed that it will be training designated employers in all 14 regions of the country from today to 3 March 2020 on the Employment Service Act and the Namibia Integrated Employment Information System (NIEIS).
Green Enterprise Solutions (Green) and EstApp recently signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU signalling the intention for Green to further develop EstApp’s real estate software application to ensure Namibians have all their real estate needs at their fingertips.
From the discussions during the recent 2020 Investment Summit, hosted by Nedbank Namibia and Simonis Storm, it is evident that deglobalisation is a structural transformation of the world economy and the risks thereof have not diminished.
Bank Windhoek last week announced its partnership with the Katuka Mentorship Programme. At the event, Bank Windhoek’s Head of Corporate Affairs Hayley Allen said empowering women who are in business is the reason for supporting the Katuka Mentorship Programme and it is the perfect fit for the bank.
The National Environment Fund (NEF) of Botswana yesterday commenced with a benchmark study of Namibia’s Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) to attain suitable benchmarks for its own NEF.
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As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the world and has now killed more people than SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), the disease is wreaking havoc on the Chinese economy and is severely disrupting global supply chains.
Etosha Fishing Corporation has confirmed the appointment of Nezette Beukes as its new managing director (MD), effective 1 January 2020. Beukes previously held the position of financial director in the company from 2015 and has been acting in the position of MD since the resignation of its former MD Pieter Greeff in December 2018.
PowerCom Pty Ltd has commenced with the planned tower construction in Walvis Bay Extension 17. A recent ground-breaking ceremony confirmed the tower’s commencement as well as the company’s infrastructure CAPEX investment rollout for 2019/2020, which seeks to increase the company’s footprint and asset base to best service ICT players and offer last mile connectivity.
Local entrepreneurs, Shiwomeho Kalla, of Shiwa The Baker, and Mutindi Jacobs of Karibu Flowers, are using the power of collaboration as a business-building strategy this Valentine’s Day. No stranger to the phrase,
The founder of Nghishe Biotech, Charles Haluodi, has developed a system to convert organic waste such as food, animal and plant waste, into environmentally friendly flammable gas and organic fertiliser.
The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has confirmed the successful annual Aerodrome Renewal Licences for Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), Walvis Bay International Airport and Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Airport.
The voluntary nature of the Retail Sector Charter (RSC) remains one of the biggest challenges hindering its successful implementation.
Air Namibia yesterday confirmed it will suspend its Windhoek to Luanda route effective Sunday, 9 February 2020.
As cargo volumes continue to increase on the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC), Namibian truckers continue to face an uphill battle once they enter Zambia, as the Livingston to Sesheke road leading to Lusaka and beyond to the Democratic republic of Congo remains in a dilapidated state.
Bank Windhoek was in December 2019, named as the Best Corporate Bank in Namibia by the London-based Global Banking and Finance Review, a leading international financial portal and print magazine.
The Non-bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs) sector remains financially sound and does not pose any systemic risks to the country’s financial system.
The start of the new decade began with the very familiar situation for a lot of school leavers receiving their Matric results and, immediately their world took a sharp left-turn and spiralled out of control.
Illegal fuel at Oshikango on the Angolan border totalling 12 600 litres was discovered at Fysal Fresh Produce, one of the biggest fresh produce retail chains in northern Namibia.
The City of Windhoek last week notified the public on the upcoming invitation for bids (IFB) for closed bid sale of single residential and general residential erven in the Rocky Crest’s extension four.
In 2021, Namibia will hold its 4th Population and Housing Census. The census is better known for counting people; however, the statistics that a population and housing census provides is much more than just counting people. Namibia’s first census was held in 1991, the second in 2001, the third in 2011 and the next one to be held in 2021, as indicated above.
WINDHOEK – Namibian fuel pump prices will remain unchanged for February at NS13.05 per litre for 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol and N$13.63 per litre for Diesel 50ppm in part to the fixed level of global fuel inventories.
WINDHOEK - B2Gold Corporation last week handed over a ground-breaking donation of 1 000 ounces of Namibian gold representing a monetary value of N$25 million.
WINDHOEK - Namibian independent power producer Arandis Power says it is offering the South African utility Eskom 120MW of flexible power generation capacity within the framework of the Request for Information (RFI) that was issued on 13 December 2019 by the South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in respect of a “Risk Mitigation Power Procurement Programme”.
WINDHOEK – Kenneth Matomola, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa), revealed yesterday that 40% of contractual savings are invested in the local economy with the remaining 60%
WINDHOEK – The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has cautioned the public on ‘instant business plans’ that are being promoted on various social media for SMEs and skills-based youth finance.
WINDHOEK – The full-year price per platinum ounce for the basket of metals sold increased by 27% to US$2,819/ounce compared to 2018 due to 48% and 73% price increases in palladium and rhodium, respectively. Anglo American revealed these figures last week.
WINDHOEK – The N$250 million construction project to alleviate congestion at the terminal and apron of the Hosea Kutako Airport within the short-term is progressing well and is expected to be completed by September this year.
KEETMANSHOOP – Despite losing more than 50 percent of its budget allocation due to government’s austerity measures during the previous financial year, the //Kharas Regional Council succeeded in awarding all its capital project tenders accordingly.
WINDHOEK – It is a new year and for many people, this is the time to start afresh by setting new goals. In the midst of setting new goals, it is important to also include financial resolutions.
WINDHOEK – De Beers rough diamond production decreased by 15% to 7.8 million carats, driven by lower production levels in South Africa and Botswana. This was stated by Anglo American in its production report for Q4 which was released last week.
WINDHOEK – The Roads Authority (RA) yesterday celebrated the completion within the stipulated timeframe and within budget of Section 4A of one of the busiest roads in the country, namely the freeway between Windhoek and Okahandja. Section 4A is comprised of 27.6 km of road which has now also been upgraded from a dual carriageway to a four-lane freeway.
WINDHOEK – The stock of international reserves held by the Bank of Namibia (BoN) declined both on an annual and quarterly basis at the end of the third quarter of 2019, Bank of Namibia governor Iipumbu Shiimi said in the central bank’s quarterly report for Q3 2019.
WINDHOEK – At the conclusion of Team Namibia’s entrepreneurial training programme, which was funded by the Embassy of Finland to the value of N$1.76 million, the member-based organisation honoured the owners of 16 outstanding Katutura-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs). To this end an award ceremony was held at Xwama Cultural Village in Katutura, Windhoek on Thursday, 23 January 2020.
WINDHOEK – Good news for grape producers is that despite a downturn in the global economy, Namibian fresh grapes exports for 2019 continued to increase, recording a value of close to N$840 million and over 33 million kg in net-weight shipped out. This is more than double the revenue generated by fresh grapes exported in 2015, which produced around N$407 million in sales.
WINDHOEK – The Economic Outlook for 2020 by Cirrus Securities, a company started in 2017 with a focus on corporate advisory, capital raising and research, predicts that small businesses in Namibia are expected to remain under pressure during 2020. As a result, and depending on the severity of new government policies, Cirrus expects that many small businesses will either close their doors, or lay off further workers.
WINDHOEK – Namibia National Reinsurance Corporation Limited (NamibRe)’s national scale financial strength rating was upgraded by GCR Ratings on 18 December, 2019, to AA-(NA), from A+(NA), with the outlook accorded as stable.
WINDHOEK - Executive Secretary of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Paulina Mbala Elago and the United Kingdom’s director for economic diplomacy at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), Lewis Neal, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support implementation of the ongoing SACU Customs Modernisation Programme.
WINDHOEK - FNB Namibia’s latest rental index report, which was released yesterday, confirms that growth in rental prices remains in contractionary territory with the FNB Rent Price Index, recording a contraction of 1.9 percent at the end of September 2019, compared to a contraction of 8.6 percent over the same period last year.
WINDHOEK – Activity in the construction sector, which is an excellent barometer of economic strength, started with a gradual recovery during the third quarter of 2019.
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WINDHOEK - The annual inflation rate for December 2019 stood at 2.6 percent compared to 5.1 percent registered in December 2018, indicating an inflationary slowdown of 2.5 percentage points.
WINDHOEK - Team Namibia, the member-based organisation has the mandate to contribute towards “Growth at Home” and secure optimal market access for Namibian businesses with the mission to ultimately impact economic sustainability.
WINDHOEK - Bank Windhoek has confirmed the appointment of Frieda Beukes as its new Oshakati Branch Manager, effective 1 January 2020.
WINDHOEK - In the latest FNB Residential Property Report, FNB’s Group Economist, Ruusa Nandago, states that the FNB House Price Index plunged further into negative territory at the end of September 2019, reaching a historic low of -5.1 percent y/y compared to 2.0 percent recorded over the same period last year.
WINDHOEK – Local electricity generation decreased last year mainly as a result of inadequate water inflow into the Ruacana hydropower plant.
WINDHOEK – The Orano Mining Namibia yesterday announced its internal restructuring process, culminating in the appointment of Tommie Gouws as managing director in the place of Hilifa Mbako, who will now become the executive chairperson.
WINDHOEK- Khomas regional council’s Windhoek East constituency office has once again demonstrated that it remains at the forefront of driving self-employment in its community when owners of income generating projects recently received equipment or materials worth N$150 000 as part of efforts in fulfilment of government promise of assistance to the citizens in accordance with the policy of job creation strategies in all the constituencies.
WINDHOEK – Mortgage lending continued to dominate commercial banks’ credit exposure basket over the year to the end of the third quarter of 2019.
The central government’s budget deficit is estimated to narrow during 2019/20 when compared to the preceding fiscal year, which is mainly due to an increase in revenue as a result of higher SACU receipts.
Bank Windhoek ranked Best Bank in Namibia by PSG
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Ecopreneurship is a viable way to stimulate the economy
Air Namibia acknowledges ‘gravity’ of PAU malfunction
Sowing the seeds of entrepreneurial growth
IATA’s cargo handling improvement programme to bolster trade efficiency
GENEVA – While the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 25by2025 campaign to address gender balance in civil aviation is gaining traction three months after its launch, with 59 airlines already having signed up, only two African airlines have committed to the initiative, namely Air Botswana and the Angolan airline, TAAG.
WINDHOEK – Namibia Desert Diamonds (Namdia) yesterday declared a dividend of N$80 million to the government.
WINDHOEK – The Grove Mall of Namibia has announced a step in a new direction, including making slight changes to its name, while sporting new colours.
GENEVA - Similar to 2019 performance, African airlines are again expected to make a massive collective loss of US$200 million (about N$3 billion) in 2020 mainly due to structural problems of high costs mostly as a result of government taxes and fees as well as low load factors.
WINDHOEK - Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) and Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) have announced the finalisation of their revised recognition agreement that follows the recent 2018/2019 wage negotiations that were successfully concluded by the two parties in September 2019.
WINDHOEK – Economic performance in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) remains subdued, with most countries projected to grow by between 0.5 percent and 4.2 percent in 2019.
WINDHOEK - Local consumers were granted some marginal relief when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia (BoN) yesterday confirmed that the repo rate will remain unchanged at 6.50 percent.
WINDHOEK - The Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development Tjekero Tweya this week confirmed he will soon introduce new poultry product import restriction measures aimed at supporting domestic production, which in turn will restrict the issuing of the import quotas.
WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Mines and Energy has confirmed that fuel pump prices for December will remain unchanged, as prices at the entry port of Walvis Bay remain stable at N$13.05 per litre for 95 Octane Unleaded Petrol and N$13.63 per litre for Diesel 50ppm.
WINDHOEK - Single men are now the fastest growing group of home owners, accounting for 42 percent of total home transaction volumes.
The end of another year is rapidly approaching and all thoughts are on the festive season, as it is the season of giving.
WINDHOEK – The Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino (WCCR) handed over N$6 million in preference shares to its shareholder, the government, through the ministries of public enterprise, as well as environment and tourism yesterday. The event took place at the Country Club grounds, where representatives from the government met the hotel’s management team.
WINDHOEK – Bank Windhoek yesterday emphasised its zero-tolerance approach towards corruption, following the airing of ‘Anatomy of a Bribe’ on the Al-Jazeera news channel this past weekend.
WINDHOEK – Bank Windhoek on Friday confirmed it has been named Bank of the Year by the leading Financial Times publication, The Banker.
WINDHOEK - At the recent CHANGE training graduation, FNB Namibia, through the FirstRand Namibia Foundation, handed over financial support of N$370 000 to CHANGE, a programme which offers ex-offenders a chance to develop the skills to become productive members of society through meaningful employment.
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It is no secret that aviation has come in for a good deal of scrutiny and criticism over its environmental impacts.
WINDHOEK – The acting Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Albert Kawana has called upon all stakeholders in the fishing industry to work with him to ensure confidence is re-instilled in the industry and that jobs are created.
WINDHOEK - In response to the Namibian government’s state of emergency declaration on the current drought affecting the country, with no relief for farmers in the short term, Capricorn Group and Capricorn Asset Management has followed in the footsteps of the Group’s flagship brand Bank Windhoek by making a contribution of N$200 000 to the Dare to Care Drought Relief Fund.
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WINDHOEK - The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has confirmed the Fund’s solution upgrade from the Horizon solution to the Document Management Solution (DMS).
The Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Board (PAAB) is a statutory board conceived by an Act of Parliament, the Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Act No. 51 of 1951 (as amended).
WINDHOEK – Close to 300 people who willingly gave their money to self-proclaimed forex trader Michael Amushelelo and his associate Gregory Cloete (who were arrested on October 10, 2019) are now asking the Bank of Namibia to refund their ‘investments’.
WINDHOEK – Sanlam, together with their project partner Namibia Business Innovation Institute (NBII), confirmed the winner of the 2019 Sanlam Innovation Works project. Linda P Ndakolo of Linda P Creations emerged as the overall winner of the 2019 competition and walked away with a cash prize of N$25 000 to further invest in her business.
KAMANJAB – As part of expanding its footprint across the country and making banking services accessible to under-served communities, Standard Bank recently opened a new agency in Kamanjab in the Kunene Region.
With Black Friday fast approaching worldwide and its online equivalent Cyber Monday a few days later, the number of online deals during this time will far outnumber those available in stores.
WINDHOEK – Isabella Angihinka Tjatjara has been confirmed as the incoming commissioner of the Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC) and in fact already commenced her new duties November 01, 2019.
WINDHOEK – Following an announcement last week that government has shelved the Kudu Gas Power Plant project to consider cheaper sources such as renewable energy, the operator of the Kudu license BW Kudu has come out in defence of the development, saying the project “is alive and well”.
WINDHOEK - On Thursday, 14 November twenty-one Capricorn Group senior managers who took part in its maiden Senior Management Development Programme (SMDP) graduated in Windhoek. The graduates are from various departments within Capricorn Group and Bank Windhoek.
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WINDHOEK – Namibia’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) currently have assets of more than N$62 billion and generate an annual income of more than N$23 billion.
WINDHOEK - Capricorn Group and Bank Windhoek held a special breakfast for business partners and suppliers on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at the Am Weinberg Hotel to engage with them as respected partners and stakeholders who contribute to the Group’s success.
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WINDHOEK - Air Namibia yesterday confirmed that it is scaling down its economy class on-board meal and beverage offerings on all flights of 2.5 hours or less, irrespective of the time of departure or aircraft type.
WINDHOEK – Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) opened its first ICT Innovation Centre in Windhoek to test, build and showcase new business and consumer ICT applications.
WINDHOEK - In its drive to continue supporting government initiatives, as well as the trade ministry’s Growth at Home policy, Ohorongo Cement recently partnered with local entrepreneur, Carbo Namibia, which is a Namibian manufacturer and exporter of charcoal products.
WINDHOEK - In support of its commitment to, and passion for environmental sustainability, Pick n Pay (PnP) Namibia, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, recently signed a contract with BEE (Be Energy Efficient) Biofuel Manufacturing to safely dispose of all its used cooking oil (UCO).
WINDHOEK - The Banker Association of Namibia (BAN) will enhance their stationery drive on Friday, November 22, 2019, with a Shake-a-tin drive that will take place at various intersections in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK - The third consignment of about 7 500 metric tonnes of Pyrolusite was discharged from the general cargo vessel, Unistar, at the Port of Walvis Bay on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, at the multipurpose terminal.
WINDHOEK - In the early morning hours of Sunday, November 17, 2019, the Queen Elizabeth passenger vessel docked at the passenger terminal of the Namibian Ports Authority at Walvis Bay.
WINDHOEK - Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC Namibia) recently pioneered a new type of base transmitter station, namely the Tubestar macro base station at Osona Village Estates, some 50 kilometres north of Windhoek.
WINDHOEK – Government is keen to develop the country’s blue economy in an ecologically sustainable manner that avoids over-exploitation or damage to the ecosystem, as well as in an economically inclusive manner that ensures no Namibian is left behind
WINDHOEK - Air Namibia yesterday confirmed that its Windhoek to Frankfurt flights are again operating as per schedule. This follows an incident where one of the airline’s Airbus A330 – 200s was involved in an incident over the weekend at Frankfurt Airport, Germany.
WINDHOEK - The festive season is upon us, and several people are looking forward to an adventurous camping holiday alongside Namibia’s coastline.
Money is dangerous: it is bulky, smelly and dirty. Processing and getting the money from a shop, restaurant, café or any other place of business to the bank so it can be deposited can be a security nightmare, and it leaves business owners looking over their shoulder.
WINDHOEK - Government, through the Ministry of Finance, is actively seeking options to reinvigorate the role of financial sectors in supporting long-term productive investment that can enhance the ability of trade, technology and transnational companies to work for inclusive growth and development.
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WINDHOEK – Standard Bank Namibia Holdings Limited’s listing on the Namibia Stock Exchange on Friday added more than 522 million shares to the local bourse and N$4.65 billion in local market capitalisation.
WINDHOEK - Winner of the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) 2019 Innovation Award Pulsar Electronic Solutions proposed a smart metering platform to enable household and enterprise electricity users to control their electricity usage remotely using mobile devices.
WINDHOEK - Afrox Namibia hosted the second Annual Afrox Leadership Academy graduation dinner on 08 November 2019 at a glittering ceremony in the capital.
WINDHOEK - Nedbank Namibia has launched the pioneering Go Green Fund in partnership with Namibia Nature Foundation in 2001, and has since blazed a trail for corporates to follow suit in protecting Namibia’s natural beauty for generations to come.
WINDHOEK – The Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC) has refused an application by the Namibia Petroleum Corporation (NAMCOR) to grant exemption for a proposed 50 percent import mandate for the country’s fuel needs. NAMCOR has applied to NaCC for exemption from the provisions of the Competition Act – in respect of agreements arising from a proposal decision by the Minister of Mines and Energy to require 50 percent of all petroleum imports to be reserved for NAMCOR.
WINDHOEK - Bank Windhoek, in partnership with Good Women Good Business (GWGB), hosted a jeans and sneakers event over the weekend in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK - Global Trade enabler DP World has signed an agreement with Namibia’s Nara Namib Free Economic Industrial Zone to develop an industrial park at Walvis Bay. The signing ceremony took place in Windhoek yesterday.
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WINDHOEK - Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein imparts there is potential for increased investment in renewable energy in Namibia.
WINDHOEK - Passionate about service excellence, Windhoek Palm Hotel, situated in Windhoek West, on Friday last week celebrated their first year in hospitality industry.
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The Institute of People Management (IPM) last week hosted a leadership awards gala dinner at Windhoek’s Palm Hotel.
WINDHOEK - The O&L Group yesterday announced it has acquired majority ownership of over 60% in Hartlief as part of its 2025 strategy, which aims to employ 10 000 people.
WINDHOEK - The 9th Institute of People Management of Namibia (IPM) Conference commenced last week at the Windhoek Country Club, featuring exciting talks under the theme ‘Relentless Leadership’.
WINDHOEK - Namibia has been voted one of the top 30 emerging travel destinations on the planet for 2020.
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WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service is well on target towards the realisation of the set goal to establish the 121 rural youth enterprises in all constituencies in the country.
WINDHOEK - The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) recorded a commendable increase of 19 percent of twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers shipped and 33 percent of TEU’s that landed at the Port of Walvis Bay in the month of September 2019 when compared to September 2018. These were the remarks of Namport’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Kavin Harry, during the Annual Port Users function held in honour of the entity’s clientelé last week Friday.
WINDHOEK - MTN Business Namibia has launched its LTE (4G) service at the coast, a development that now makes faster and reliable internet connectivity for home and office use in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay possible.
WINDHOEK - The Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development (MITSMED), in partnership with the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), will be hosting a Namibia-Bulgaria Business Breakfast Forum on 13 November 2019 at the NamPower Convention Centre in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK – The finance ministry as well as that of sport, youth and national service, in conjunction with the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) on Wednesday unveiled a N$138.5 million small and medium enterprise (SME) financing strategy, to commence on 1 December, specifically aimed at enabling the youth to start or expand their businesses.
There’s a lot of hype about the Cloud, however what comes to mind when you hear that your software will sit in the cloud, it sounds positively intangible and like a cloud it can fall apart anytime.
WINDHOEK - The Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development (MITSMED) has cautioned members of the public and especially entrepreneurs of an ongoing online fake press release that purports to have been issued by the ministry.
The first of October 1989 marked the official opening of the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF).
WINDHOEK - The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. Opened in 2004, the Bank has since contributed to a wide range of economic activities and socio-economic wellbeing through its finance.
WINDHOEK - The Bank of Namibia has released a comprehensive report comparing different banking fees and charges by banking institutions in Namibia and Nampost Savings Bank as at 30 September 2019.
WINDHOEK - The current recessionary economic environment appears to have aggravated the occurrence of fraudulent insurance claims being submitted by policyholders with criminal intent in their attempt to “ease their cash-flow situation”.
One of the challenges Anti-Money Laundering specialists face is employing a risk-based approach through the study and application of international trends, typologies, and recommendations to their specific regions.
WINDHOEK - Hollard Namibia and Pick n Pay have joined forces in opening up the very first in-store Hollard Business Office at the Wernhil Pick n Pay.
WINDHOEK - Horst Simon, Business Risk Officer at Capricorn Group Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) department, was nominated by an industry colleague in South Africa for the Africa Risk Management Award and at the Annual Awards Ceremony of the Institute of Risk Management South Africa (IRMSA).
WINDHOEK - The chairperson of the Meatco board convened a Meatco special members’ meeting on 1 November 2019.
WINDHOEK – Due to significant under-recoveries per product on the basic fuel price (BFP), it is estimated that the National Energy Fund will avail in excess of N$40 million in subsidies to spare consumers the burden of a fuel increase for November.
WINDHOEK – One of the main topics scheduled to be discussed at the Construction Industries Federation (CIF) Construction Conference & AGM on 14 and 15 November will be the establishment of a Namibian Construction Council, which is in line with the government’s commitment to have the council promulgated before the end of the 2019/2020 financial year.
WINDHOEK - A barrage of squawks greets Albert Handunge every time he steps into his chicken coop. As the owner of Kona MH Supply cc, a poultry company based in Katutura, he beams. Seeing his chickens with their laid eggs reminds him of how, if supported locally, the poultry industry can boost job creation and ultimately eradicate poverty!
WINDHOEK - World Savings Day or International Savings Day was established on 30 October 1924, during the first International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks) in Milan, Italy and was declared on the last day of the congress.
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WINDHOEK - Sanlam officially bid farewell to its first set of formalised interns.
WINDHOEK - A delegation of 18 senior military officers from the Namibia Command and Staff College based in Okahandja led by the Commandant of the College, Brigadier General Mathew Shipulwa, conducted a study tour to Desert Fruit Namibia (DFN) on 24 October.
WINDHOEK – Three straight years of negative growth of the Namibian economy is not making any positive contributions to the unemployment rate as businesses are more likely to retrench staff in the current economic climate than actually recruit new employees.
WINDHOEK - Namibia’s current economic environment necessitates increased focus on supporting local businesses, in particular those that are manufacturing and producing for the local market, with the inherent intention to also export to regional and international markets other than effectively meeting the domestic demand.
WINDHOEK – Namibia’s 12-month growth in broadly defined money supply (M2) rose further at the end of September 2019, relative to the preceding month.
WINDHOEK - Taxpayers were yesterday informed that all penalties on their tax accounts will be waived as part of an incentive programme to encourage registration as e-filers on the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) and to promote the continuous use of the online service.
WINDHOEK - Seedstars World, a Swiss-based start-up competition in emerging markets, and the African Development Bank on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership to implement its innovative ‘job creation track’ model to support youth employment and entrepreneurship in Africa.
WINDHOEK - Standard Bank Namibia’s Head of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Dennis Issac, said loan seekers should make sure they are ethical and willing to repay their dues whenever applications are to be submitted to the bank.
WINDHOEK - The Lufthansa Group has expanded its long-haul network, now connecting Windhoek with its largest hub in Frankfurt, in cooperation with Eurowings.
WINDHOEK – The quality of corporate governance in public enterprises (PEs) is directly correlated to the performance of these entities. This was confirmed by Minister of Public Enterprises Leon Jooste yesterday at the first-ever National Corporate Governance Summit, which took place in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK - Bank Windhoek’s Annual Coastal Estate Agents Awards ceremony hosted in Swakopmund on Friday, recognised J&B Estates, Golden Palace Property Centre and Ramos Realtors Namibia, as the top three coastal Estate Agencies.
WINDHOEK - Cornastone Information Technology Services recently celebrated achieving Platinum status with Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE), which is one of the highest possible global standings that can be achieved with HPE.
WINDHOEK - The 9th Institute of People Management of Namibia Conference is scheduled for the 7 and 8 November, at the Windhoek Country Club.
WINDHOEK - The Construction Industries Federation (CIF) plans to host its first annual construction conference on 14 and 15 November 2019, which is to take place at the Safari Hotel and Conference Centre.
Debit and credit cards, cellphones and electronic funds transfer (EFT) have replaced the cheque as a mode of payment while browsers are increasingly making inroads on the traditional client preferences for bank branches.
WINDHOEK - The Namibia University of Science and Technology supported by Bank Windhoek and Capricorn Group, last week hosted a two-day workshop for journalists and media students on the Investigation of Illicit Financial Flows and Money Laundering in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK – The Namibia Institute of Corporate Governance (NICG) is set to host the first-ever national corporate governance summit tomorrow, at Safari Hotel.
WINDHOEK - In a post independent Namibia, the youth should always be in a position whereby they can secure their own financial prosperity and contribute to social change.
WINDHOEK – Late last week, Air Namibia confirmed that after a temporary three-month suspension, it has re-introduced the Windhoek to Luanda route back to its schedule. The Windhoek to Luanda flights were scheduled to re-commence its Angolan operation yesterday.
WINDHOEK – The risks to Namibia’s credit rating outlook are bound to increase considering last year’s fiscal developments coupled with the fact that government is unlikely to be able to consolidate this year’s budget deficit.
WINDHOEK - The Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade & SME Development, through the Business and Intellectual Property Authority, on behalf of the Government of Namibia, launched the first National Policy on Intellectual Property during a high-level breakfast engagement on Wednesday in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK - The economic recovery and growth stimulus package announced by Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein on Tuesday during the Budget Review and the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, consists of four interdependent components over the short and medium-term horizon.
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WINDHOEK – After a review of global, regional and domestic economic and financial developments, the Bank of Namibia’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) yesterday announced that the country’s repo rate will remain unchanged at 6.50 percent.
WINDHOEK – During a post-mid-term budget breakfast yesterday Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein reiterated a comment from his mid-term budget statement that Namibia still has significant discrepancies between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.
WINDHOEK - In some parts of the world, tailoring is regarded as pastime. Conversely, Fiina Malulu, considers tailoring to be an activity which may positively impact Namibia’s economy if her business concept is supported locally. Malulu, who is self-employed in the tailoring industry, is the owner of Fojarat Investment cc, a local business that designs, produces and repairs clothing for all Namibian age groups.
WINDHOEK – As Namibians grapple with one of the worst droughts in recent history, coupled with an economic recession going on three years now, there has been increased interest from consumers and businesses in installing waste water treatment facilities that can convert grey or black water into a useable product.
Namibia seems to be a safe and secure haven, we go about our business and relish the idea of telling foreigners about our beautiful country in Southern Africa, assuming that almost no one has ever heard of it.
WINDHOEK - Namibia has achieved global maritime safety standards by upgrading its Navigational Telex (Navtex) system.
WINDHOEK - Telecom Namibia (TN) and the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) signed a one-year wage agreement on Monday.
WINDHOEK - Standard Bank has scooped the top spot as Namibia’s Best Investment Bank in the EMEA Finance 2019 Awards.
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WINDHOEK - In preparation for the imminent arrival of 5G technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa, Mobile Telecommunications Limited Namibia (MTC) says that as a market leader and provider of next generation convergence network solutions it is committed to ensuring that it continues providing its 2.4 million customers with innovative technologies and services
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The saying goes, “Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm.”
WINDHOEK - Ohorongo Cement recently received recertification on its Quality & Environmental Management Systems, endorsing the fulfilling of standards, ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 14001: 2015.
WINDHOEK – As part of the 081Everyone project aimed to footprint a 100 percent connectivity countrywide, ICT solution provider MTC connected residents of Sorris Sorris in the Kunene region as of 18 October.
The NSA has officially started its census mapping exercise last week, starting with the Zambezi region and to be extended to the entire country from next year February until August 2020. In order to really
WINDHOEK – The Bank of Namibia on Friday afternoon clearly pronounced itself on the issue of foreign exchange (forex) trading, reminding Namibian residents 18 years of age and older that they are entitled to
WINDHOEK – “The reason for suspension is because our accounts are in arrears. We owe them money however we made a partial payment today”, was part of the blatantly honest and direct response from Air
WINDHOEK – There is a saying that goes: If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Serious investors, both institutional and private, generally abide by this principle to minimise risk and maximise profit for
WINDHOEK – In its most recent World Economic Outlook (WEO) the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed concern about the pace of global economic activity which remains weak, particularly since global growth slowed down sharply in the last three quarters of 2018.
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WINDHOEK - On Monday, 14 October 2019, Capricorn Group, Bank Windhoek’s holding company, launched its third seven-month Management Development Programme (MDP), in partnership with University of
WINDHOEK – The public will have the opportunity to take up shares in Standard Bank Namibia Holdings Limited, the holding company of Standard Bank Namibia Limited, following its successful application to list on
WINDHOEK - Bank Windhoek executives joined the rest of the world in paying homage to customers and frontline staff in recognition of the International Customer Service Week held annually in October. The
WINDHOEK- The current status of Internet of Things in Namibia is something worth pondering on since we have to keep up with the times in terms of technology. The Internet of Things can be defined as the
WINDHOEK – The digital evolution of the past decade or so has radically altered the face of the publishing industry around the world, including in Namibia, thus print media have to keep up with the fast-changing
WINDHOEK - The annual inflation rate slowed to 3.3 percent in September 2019 from 4.8 percent recorded in September 2018, representing a slowdown of 1.5 percentage points. According to the latest Consumer
WINDHOEK – A statement sent yesterday from Trustco Group Holdings indicated that Next Capital Limited, which is an investment vehicle for Quinton van Rooyen and family, intends to write off a N$1 billion loan made
WINDHOEK – Standard Bank Namibia Holdings, a subsidiary of the Standard Bank Group, yesterday commenced with its Namibia Stock Exchange (NSX) listing roadshow with corporate listing breakfast in
WINDHOEK – Namibia needs to invest in technology and innovation, human capital and institutional framework in order to adequately prepare for the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). This is according to
WINDHOEK - The owners of the Skorpion Zinc Mine in southern Namibia, Vedanta Zinc International (VZI), on Friday confirmed that the mine’s refinery will be placed on an extended plant shutdown from early
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WINDHOEK – Janny David, a 28-year-old real estate developer and owner of Jay’Dor Real Estate, is encouraging Namibians to never give up on their dream of owning a home. David, who has been involved in
WINDHOEK – According to the Institute for Public Policy Research’s (IPPR’s) latest Quarterly Economic Review, covering the third quarter of 2019 (July to September), government is still exhibiting three key
WINDHOEK – The Road Fund Administration (RFA) says it is cognisant that the future will bring dramatic technological improvements to the transportation sector, requiring closer stakeholder engagement and
The Bank of Namibia’s report on Namibia’s second quarter performance found that fuel imports significantly contributed to the decline in the country’s current account.
WINDHOEK - Capricorn Group launched its 2019 Integrated Annual Report yesterday, making it the fourth integrated report for the Group that adheres to the International Integrated Reporting Council’s IR Framework.
WINDHOEK – During the third and last day of the National ICT Summit, which commenced in Windhoek on Monday, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Engel Nawatiseb, said it is
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WINDHOEK – On Monday, Bank Windhoek officially inaugurated its new Lifestyle Branch situated at the Pupkewitz Megabuild Lifestyle Centre in Windhoek’s Kleine Kuppe suburb. The new branch, which includes
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Unmanned Airborne Systems (UAS) are increasingly affordable, capable and readily available. They are also cheaper to operate than conventional aircraft and helicopters. They are no longer gimmicks. They are
WINDHOEK – According to newly appointed Brand Ambassador of the National ICT Summit, Dr Stanley
WINDHOEK - UN House Namibia on Friday introduced electric vehicles (EVs) to the local automotive market
WINDHOEK - Prices in the rental market have shown some improvement compared to a year earlier but
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WINDHOEK – This week’s downgrade of Namibia’s credit rating by Fitch Ratings reflects the mutually
WINDHOEK - Elaine Schlechter joined Welwitschia Insurance Brokers (WIB) on July 1, 2019 as the new
WINDHOEK - FirstRand Namibia has again warned customers and the general public that the imposter fraud
WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Mines and Energy has confirmed that fuel pump prices for October will remain
Team Namibia has encouraged all local businesses, irrespective of whether they produce goods or
WINDHOEK – Minister of Finance Calle Schlettwein says government remains optimistic that economic
WINDHOEK - The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) is excited to announce the celebration of its
WINDHOEK - Bank of Namibia (BoN) has confirmed that activity in the domestic economy slowed during
WINDHOEK - Credit cards are the crack cocaine of financing because they offer you instant gratification
WINDHOEK – President Hage Geingob on Thursday evening invited representatives of key global private
The Public sector internal auditor’s conference with the theme “Does Accountability Matter”, basically aims:
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WINDHOEK - The Education Business division of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed leading
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ONGWEDIVA - The Namibian Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) improved its revenue from N$87
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WINDHOEK – One of the major causes of the country’s urban housing challenge is the migration of
WINDHOEK - The Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) and major retailer, Pick n Pay, have
WINDHOEK - OTC Markets Group Inc., operator of financial markets for 10 000 United States and global
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WINDHOEK - The N≠a Jaqna Conservancy recently held their most successful Annual General Meeting to
WINDHOEK - The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) yesterday officially launched its
WINDHOEK – An industry-wide banking strike scheduled to take place in South Africa this Friday is not bank
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WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Finance has responded to complaints regarding a perceived delay in the
WINDHOEK - DHL-Ethiopian Airlines Logistics Services, which is a joint venture formed between DHL Global Forwarding and Ethiopian Airlines, is up scaling its operations in Ethiopia. The company has named Berhanu
WINDHOEK - The maximum monthly potential cash back earnings of FNB Rewards has been increased across all segments from September 1, 2019.
WINDHOEK – One of Africa’s leading entertainment platforms’ digital apps put customers first and empower them to manage their accounts for an elevated viewing experience.
WINDHOEK - Namibian private equity firm Eos Capital on Thursday launched the Nambob brand in the
WINDHOEK - Headway Consulting recently signed on as Silver Sponsor for the 6th National ICT Summit
WINDHOEK - The continued contraction in housing prices is not a surprising outcome given the severely
WINDHOEK- FirstRand Namibia Staff Assistance Trust announced yesterday that it has approved tuition fees for 38 applicants of previously disadvantaged non-managerial staff.
WINDHOEK – State-owned rail enterprise TransNamib’s chief executive officer (CEO) Johny Smith has been
WINDHOEK – Nam-mic Payment Solutions (Pty) Ltd announced that it has officially appointed Meriam
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WINDHOEK – Road Fund Administrator (RFA) board chairperson Penda Ithindi says the fund envisages an
WINDHOEK – The domestic economy remains subdued in the second quarter of 2019, recording a
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WINDHOEK - FlyWestair, Westair Aviation’s new scheduled passenger airline, has confirmed a new route between Windhoek’s Eros Airport and Cape Town, South Africa six times per week, with a quick stopover in Oranjemund.
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WINDHOEK – Namibia has achieved notable progress since independence in addressing its socio-economic challenges, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has said.
WINDHOEK – Cabinet has directed Namibia’s power utility company NamPower and the Zimbabwean Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to meet to finalise the ongoing negotiations for the possible supply of an additional 50 megawatts to Namibia.
PRETORIA - Marie Françoise Marie-Nelly is the newly appointed World Bank Country Director for South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana and Eswatini. She replaces Paul Noumba Um and joins the Pretoria
WINDHOEK – The Road Fund Administration (RFA) through the Road User Charges (RUCs) has invested a total of N$17.27 billion in the preservation of national roads network, which has grown from 42 100
WINDHOEK - It doesn’t matter which walk of life you are from, be it tenderpreneur, chief executive officer or domestic worker, Namibians are drowning in debts, with 238, 640 borrowers owing an astonishing
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WINDHOEK - Namibia needs to make tough decisions or remain stuck in the current economic storm, High Level Panel on the Economy chairperson Johannes !Gawaxab said.
WINDHOEK - Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) workers entered a second day of strike for higher pay yesterday, with the union refusing to accept a six percent salary increment offered by the institution.
WINDHOEK- Minister of Labour Relations and Employment Creation Erkki Nghimtina yesterday opened a two-day workshop on employment creation that will dialogue on possible interventions for creating employment in different sectors of the economy.
WINDHOEK - The 20th Bank of Namibia (BoN) Annual Symposium to be officiated by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Thursday this week will discuss the question whether Namibia is really a middle
WINDHOEK- In its quest to provide the market with relevant, holistic financial solutions, Bank Windhoek on Wednesday launched a new Selekt Gold offering.
WINDHOEK – In anticipation of the United Kingdom (UK) leaving the European Union (EU) at the end of October, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), along with Mozambique, has agreed to roll over the
WINDHOEK - Altron Rest of Africa (Altron ROA), a division of JSE-listed technology company Altron, has confirmed the sale of a minority stake in its subsidiary, Bytes Technology Group Namibia (BTG Namibia), to
DURBAN – Africa and the developing world in general is seized with finding sustainable solutions to the current challenges facing young people and the labour market of the future. The possibility of a digital
WINDHOEK – In response to various employers’ payroll software systems still not being ready to submit Pay As You Earn (PAYE) returns electronically through the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), the
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WINDHOEK - Team Namibia held a retail networking event to support manufacturers of cosmetic and beauty products to secure shelf space in Windhoek pharmacies as well as duty free outlets on September 3.
WINDHOEK - O’Nature Cosmetics, in conjunction with Versatile Media Agency, reached another milestone when they recently launched their new brand ambassador’s cohort at the Garden Inn. With the market for
WINDHOEK - Economic loss due to cybercrime is predicted to reach US$3 trillion (about N$45 trillion) by 2020, and 74 percent of the world’s businesses can expect to be hacked in the coming year. Current efforts to
WINDHOEK - As a responsible corporate citizen dedicated to fighting e-crime and financial fraud, Bank Windhoek has launched a vishing awareness campaign, which highlights how vishing telephone fraud works.
WINDHOEK – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with Botswana, eSwatini, Namibia, Mauritius, Seychelles and South Africa are co-convening a multi-country dialogue to discuss
WINDHOEK – In an extremely challenging operating environment, that includes a significantly subdued economy, prevailing drought and increased competition, MultiChoice Namibia (MCN) continues to impress by consistently growing its business.
DURBAN - Regional Director for Africa at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Jillian Blackbeard has praised Namibia for being one of the best self-drive destinations in Africa. In tourism terms, self-drive
WINDHOEK - Capricorn Group Executive Management Team (EMT) members officially welcomed 20 new employees to the organisation on September 2, 2019. The new staff were welcomed at a two-day New
WINDHOEK - As Poiyah Media turns two years old, it received a prestigious nomination as the Global Start-up Awards Best media partner, which celebrates start-ups and their accomplishments globally.
WALVIS BAY - German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Müller says he is keen to explore development in importing and exporting as well as vocational training with Namport.
WINDHOEK - With the recent signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Zambian Minister of Tourism and Arts, Ronald Kaoma Chitotela, says the time has come for African
WINDHOEK - FirstRand Namibia presented its 2019 end-year results on Friday morning showing an increase in profit before tax by 2.2 percent to N$1.58 billion (2018: N$1.55 billion). The group’s revenue
WINDHOEK - Hopes for Africa’s economy have been raised before, particularly when the continent enjoyed boom times prior to the financial crash of 2008, much in part to a commodities “super cycle” that
WINDHOEK - The I n t e r n a t i o n a l Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), estimates that at the end
Turning contacts into quality relationships takes effort. It is not enough to send a sporadic email or call or connect on social media. You need to invest in relationships to strengthen and grow them over time.
WINDHOEK - The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) branches at Ondangwa, Oshakati and Ongwediva has elected new branch leaders at their respective annual general meetings held recently.
Participants from various Local Authorities gathered at NIPAM last week to attend the first cohort training on Project Finance. The training is designed for Local Authorities with an objective of addressing the
WINDHOEK - Namibia’s pork industry is exploring all avenues to erect a third pig abattoir in the central areas to bolster local production which has experienced a 14.8 per cent decline in the first six months of this year.
WINDHOEK - The global oil market remains favourably volatile to net importers of oil like Namibia in that oil prices have fallen during the period under review. This has resulted in the Ministry of Mines and Energy
WINDHOEK - In a drive to improve their stakeholder communication, the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) hosted an open day on August 28, 2019 at the Ongwediva Trade Fair. The aim of the event
WINDHOEK - Bank Windhoek’s Annual Northern Estate Agents Awards ceremony capped Eveline Paulus, Roswitha Haingura and Helena Amunyela, as the top three northern estate agents at a glittering event hosted in Oshakati on Thursday, August 29, 2019.
WINDHOEK – South African Transport and Logistics industries have distanced themselves from an anticipated truck driver’s strike in that country today, saying they do not support calls for national
WINDHOEK – While the Zambian government has already issued a travel advisory in anticipation of a national truck drivers’ strike in South Africa on Monday, September 2, the Namibian government, through
WINDHOEK – The expected contraction in economic growth of 1.7 percent in 2019 will be the worst recession the country has experienced since independence. Driven primarily by a dismal performance of
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WINDHOEK – The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) issued a statement late last week saying it has taken note of the pronouncement made on August 21 by the Prosecutor General on the investigation into
WINDHOEK - In light of recent industry developments, which include road, rail and sea upgrades, Namibia’s logistics and economic aspirations are well on track to being realised. Several industry projects
WINDHOEK - At a handing-over ceremony on 22 August 2019, the trustees of the Embwinda Fishing Workers’ Trust (EFWT) received a cheque of N$1.1 million from Cadilu Fishing to distribute to the employees of Embwinda Fishing.
WINDHOEK – The Capricorn Investment Group Limited (Capricorn Group) released its consolidated group financial results for the year ended June 30, 2019 on Friday, showing excellent results, with group profit
WINDHOEK - In response to the reduction of the Repo rate by the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Namibia, as announced on August 14 2019, Bank Windhoek has confirmed the reduction of its Prime
WALVIS BAY- A N$25 million hotel, Blue Whale Boutique Hotel has officially opened its doors in the millionaire’s lane at Walvis Bay on Monday.
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Bank and corporate managers are demanding a new generation of risk modelling that goes beyond transparency and enhances their ability to see competitive opportunities as well as to recognise the
WINDHOEK - In Namibia, approximately 44 percent of young people are unemployed and there is mounting pressure on government institutions and departments to provide employment opportunities for them. Over the past few years, Namibia has produced record numbers of skilled graduates from local
WINDHOEK - Team Namibia, a member-based non-profit movement aimed at the promotion of quality local manufactured products and services, held a donor event financed by the Embassy of Finland, called
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GIPF continues to be a proud participant at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair. At this year’s Trade Fair, GIPF will focus on running a massive data clean-up campaign.
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WINDHOEK - Earlier this month, Nedbank Namibia launched Namibia’s first-ever zero-maintenance fees bank account. Referred to as the Pay-As-You-Use account, it allows clients of any age or income group to pay bank charges only when they make a transaction.
WINDHOEK – The Retirement Funds Institute of Namibia (RFIN) hosted its 13th Annual Conference teaser event which allowed stakeholders, sponsors, speakers and members of the public to get an idea of what to
WINDHOEK - The Construction Industries Federation is very hopeful about the outcome – commitments made by the Namibian government as well as the pledges of anticipated investments by private sector
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WINDHOEK - On Thursday, August 15, Bank Windhoek and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) jointly introduced the free to use EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”) green building
WINDHOEK – Once the new Public Accountants and Auditors Bill is promulgated, it will significantly strengthen the independence of the Public Accountants and Auditors Board (PAAB) and will provide for the
JOHANNESBURG - African leaders have finally launched a long-awaited free-trade agreement seven years after the concept was first agreed, but political integration as envisaged by the continent’s founding fathers decades ago still seems a pipe dream.
WINDHOEK – The Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) is offering a new tailor-made course for local authorities and regional councils on project finance.
WINDHOEK – With Windhoek’s annual urbanisation rate currently at about four percent, the N$4.3 billion housing development of the Ongos Valley Project intends to make a significant contribution to the capital city’s population, which is expected to exceed 645 000 people by 2030.
WINDHOEK – The latest Consumer Price Index provided by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) indicates that the All Items Index for July 2019 was estimated at 137.7 up from 132.8 registered in July 2018. NSA
WINDHOEK - Ongos Valley, the exciting N$4.3 billion housing development poised to change the face of Windhoek’s residential landscape, kicked off on Wednesday with a ground-breaking ceremony attended by
WINDHOEK – The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia yesterday gave some much-needed positive news when it announced that it reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.50 percent.
WINDHOEK – Looking at the last three years it is apparent that the timely submission of Affirmative Action (AA) reports by relevant employers remains a challenge. Relevant employers are required to submit AA
A short while ago I was honoured to be invited to the Economic Growth summit in Windhoek. This conference was created to lure potential investors to Namibia from overseas, but also get local
ONGWEDIVA – The sluggish economy continues to wreak havoc on consumer spending as Namibians are forced to do more with less in light of dwindling disposable income. And while a company’s first
WINDHOEK - On Friday, August 9, 2019, Bank Windhoek donated laptops to the Omaheke Regional Library in Gobabis. Upon receiving the donation, the director of education in the Omaheke
WINDHOEK - A first of its kind Urban Fair is slated for Ongwediva on Saturday, 7 September 2019. The
WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Mines and Energy has confirmed that although it has received several proposals for the establishment on an oil refinery, it has not yet granted any approval as it awaits feedback on
WINDHOEK – The Namibia Charcoal Association (NCA) says charcoal production is booming in the country and the organisation is committed to growing the industry.
WINDHOEK - TransNamib recently achieved a milestone by moving the first shipment of Northern Cape manganese from Ariamsvlei to Lüderitz. The train departed for Ariamsvlei on landmark voyage on Thursday,
WINDHOEK – During the 2018/19 financial year the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) intercepted and intervened in 25 suspicious financial transactions valued at close to N$472 million. As empowered by
WINDHOEK - The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has confirmed that it will embark on an extensive Financial Literacy Campaign, which will run from August 05, 2019 to August 30, 2019.
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WINDHOEK – Nabirm Energy Services, the Namibian registered arm of Nabirm Global, an oil and gas explorer, has upped the ante on offshore exploration by contracting Electromagnetic Geoservices (EMGS)
WINDHOEK - Chairperson of the Debmarine Namibia board of directors Dr Michael Himavindu says the company is committed to protecting the marine environment where they mine diamonds.
WINDHOEK - Paratus Namibia has announced the completion of the initial phase of its national Mobile-LTE rollout plan.
WINDHOEK - Various scams have been circulating over the past couple of months using well-known Namibian personalities. Recently, it is alleged that musician Martin Morocky, popularly known by his stage name King TeeDee, has fallen victim to such.
WINDHOEK - The Bankers Association of Namibia (BAN) says it has learned that some merchants continue to add a surcharge or additional fee to card transactions or are setting minimum or maximum transaction amounts as condition for accepting debit or credit cards for payment.
Medicine, healthcare and going to the doctor or hospital has for centuries been the procedure when we feel sick. These days, even in Namibia, we now often first reach for our phones or surf the Internet to
WINDHOEK - PowerCom Pty Ltd has declared dividends of N$8.1 million for the 2017/2018 financial year. Its CEO Alisa Amupolo stated that during the previous financial year the company was able to withstand
WINDHOEK - The implementation of the Bank of Namibia (BoN) initiative to support the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) apprenticeship programme has started.
WINDHOEK - The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) recently jointly pledged N$8 billion in finance for infrastructure requirements in Namibia. The
WALVIS BAY - China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) says the construction of the Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) container expansion project was the most challenging project ever undertaken by the company.
WINDHOEK - Quality plenary discussions, presentations, networking opportunities and open and frank dialogue between the public and private sector at last week’s Economic Summit for Growth impressed and
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WINDHOEK – Organisers of the just-ended Economic Growth Summit will soon embark on an investment roadshow to mobilise more resources in addition to the N$50 billion in investments committed at the Summit.
WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Mines and Energy this week confirmed that fuel pump prices for August will remain unchanged. This means that fuel pump prices in Walvis Bay will be N$13.05 per litre for 95 Octane
WINDHOEK - Huawei announced its business results for the first half of 2019 showing CNY401.3 billion (US$58.2 billion) in revenue, a 23.2 percent increase over the same period last year. The company’s net
WINDHOEK - Nedbank Namibia has taken the next step in its digital banking evolution by launching its top-rated Money App technology in Namibia. According to the bank, the new Nedbank Money Africa App (Money App) is not merely an upgrade on its existing mobile banking technology, but a fundamental rethinking of its
