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WINDHOEK – This year opened with the annual inflation rate at 4.7 percent, which was a 1.1 percentage point higher than the 3.6 percent registered in January 2018. However, this is still lower than 5.1 percent in December 2018 and 5.6 percent in November 2018.
WINDHOEK – The Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) is optimistic that lawmakers will focus on ensuring better opportunities for the Namibian construction sector and will explicitly address the extent of foreign involvement in the industry, which the federation says is currently to the detriment of Namibian contractors. This call by the CIF comes in the wake of the opening Parliament last week and expressly calls for legislation of a National Construction Council.
WINDHOEK - The Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme, on Thursday announced a change in leadership in the company that is the largest private employer in the country.
WINDHOEK - FirstRand Namibia’s interim results for the period ended 31 December 2018 demonstrates continued strong performance in the face of a difficult economic climate that has seen the local economy contract for the last two consecutive years.
WINDHOEK – Coming off the back of a passive draw against Tura Magic in midweek action, defending champions African Stars will this weekend return to action when they confront traditional rivals Orlando Pirates in what is expected to be a thrilling derby.
WINDHOEK - Capricorn Group and Bank Windhoek this week officially welcomed 24 new staff members to the organisation.
WINDHOEK – The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernardt Esau, is not happy with the coordination of activities in the country’s aquaculture stations, saying that production activities are still not sustainable
WINDHOEK - The Bank of Namibia’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) yesterday announced that the Repo rate has been left unchanged at 6.75 percent to continue supporting domestic economic growth.
WINDHOEK – Namibia must take value addition within the fishing sector, which remains one of the country’s key economic sectors, to new heights in 2019. This is according to Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister, Bernhardt Esau,
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WINDHOEK - “Taking our business to the next level by creating pockets of excellence and ensuring that our customer service and work standards distinguish us from the competitors and other service providers.”
WINDHOEK – As Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, it is not just florists and gift shops hoping to boost their revenue as a number of Namibian companies have decided to celebrate the day of love with their customers by offering enticing Valentine’s Day specials at reasonable prices.
WINDHOEK - FNB says its customers are increasingly embracing digital banking channels in order to bank in a convenient and affordable manner. The bank revealed that over the last year the highest number of customers that migrated to the FNB Banking App, Online Banking and Cellphone banking for day-to-day banking were recorded.
WINDHOEK – Dinapama Manufacturing and Supplies, a wholly-owned local clothing manufacturer, has, in conjunction with the labour ministry, yesterday embarked on an initiative to improve productivity which, in turn, is expected to reduce costs and improve quality
WINDHOEK - Total production costs of dairy producers have increased by more than 55 percent over the past year compared to their income, which has dropped due to producer price cuts of 30 cents per litre of milk.
WINDHOEK – First National Bank’s Far North Cluster recently handed over sanitary pads to disadvantaged girls in various schools, as well as refuse bins to various northern towns.
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WINDHOEK - Valentine’s Day is synonymous with the traditional exchange of cards, chocolates, gifts and sharing a candle-lit dinner with loved ones. It not only signals appreciation and love for one another; but is also a life-long tradition that is celebrated in most parts of the world.
WINDHOEK - Southern Business School Namibia is giving radio listeners that want to pursue their education the chance to do just that. Two lucky winners can win scholarships on Fresh FM and Omulunga Radio.
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WINDHOEK - Desert Fruit Namibia, one of only a limited number of date producers in the Southern Hemisphere, has commenced harvesting Khalas, which is a new product line and staple for date growers in the Middle East.
Business norms have changed – the importance of long term, purposeful corporate social investments (CSI) has increased and has now become a priority for business leaders globally.
JOHANNESBURG - The South African government says good progress has been made in negotiations to re-open markets for South African meat products following the end of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Limpopo.
WINDHOEK - In line with the Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, Tjekero Tweya’s recent observation that the charcoal industry must be reformed to add more value locally, AM Consulting in Windhoek say they have investors who are looking for a farm of between 5 000 to 10 000 hectares and whose owner is interested in de-bushing/bush thinning.
WINDHOEK - The African Development Bank is expected to present the 2019 edition of its flagship African Economic Outlook (AEO) report on the sidelines of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday, February 8, 2019. The African Economic Outlook 2019 will be available in English, French and Portuguese.
It’s no secret that the success of small businesses is vital to the success and wellbeing of any economy. However, to succeed, business owners must effectively manage multiple aspects of their enterprises. One such aspect is pricing.
WINDHOEK - Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) Head of Marketing and Corporate Communication, Jerome Mutumba, has confirmed that the Bank now has a permanent office in Rundu as of last week Friday.
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RUNDU - The Kavango East Regional Governor, Dr Samuel Mbambo, says the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) is ideally placed to change the culture of reliance on the country’s neighbours and other countries.
The Namibian government has succeeded in slowing growth in public debt over the past two years from a high of 45.1 percent y/y in February 2017 to the 17.5 percent recorded in January 2019.
WINDHOEK – Two consecutive and substantial fuel price decreases in December 2018 and January 2019, combined with stable prices confirmed by the Ministry of Mines and Energy for February 2019, bring relief to not only motorists, but to all businesses and consumers at a time when the economy is still not gaining much momentum.
The NSA is readying itself for a busy 2019. Statistics collection is never static and hence the Namibia Statistics Agency cannot be static as well.
WINDHOEK - The N$190 million Peugeot assembly plant in Walvis Bay is still in the pre-series production phase that entails training employees and validating the production process.
WINDHOEK - Standard Bank is working on a number of banking products and facilities that it feels will help deepen trade ties between Chinese and Namibian businesses. This is according to Annelie Cloete, Standard Bank’s Corporate and Investment Banking Chinese Relationship Manager.
The latest data from the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation indicates that during the second half of 2018 close to 2 500 people were retrenched from 128 locally-based companies.
WINDHOEK - Ethiopian Airlines, the largest aviation group in Africa and SKYTRAX Certified Four Star Global Airline, has confirmed that it has extended free transit tour to global passengers as of February 01, 2019.
WINDHOEK – The Roads Authority (RA) yesterday said that more than N$250 million owed to Namibia Traffic Information System (NaTIS) does not have a direct impact on its operations but that all the collected outstanding fees will be channelled towards maintaining the country’s road network and the construction of new roads. This funding will be done via the Road Fund Administration, which falls under the Ministry of Finance.
WINDHOEK - “Over the past decade and even before that, sponsorships, donations and CSI initiatives have undergone dramatic changes and this philanthropy landscape keeps on changing. Today, more than ever, CSI managers and donors identify with a wide range of social problems and understand the importance of solving and prioritising strategic
WINDHOEK - As the saying goes, team work makes the dream work, and two trailblazing entrepreneurs are harnessing this power of collaboration to add a touch of luxury and sweetness to Valentine’s Day this year.
WINDHOEK - The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has urged all members to visit their Human Resource officers from their respective institutions, to update their Beneficiary Nomination forms. Members must ensure that the names and date of births of their dependants (beneficiaries) and nominees accurately appear on the forms as they reflect on their national documents.
WINDHOEK - Road infrastructure is a growth enabler, enabling trade, integration and the movement of people.
WINDHOEK - The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has awarded bursaries to nine undergraduate students who will be undertaking their studies at institutions of higher learning in Namibia and the Southern African Development Community region. Two Masters’ degree students will also be joining this cohort.
WINDHOEK - Ethiopian Airlines, the largest aviation group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified 4-Star global airline, is re-structuring its US network, opening a new destination, adding frequencies and shifting gateways as of the summer of 2019.
The world used to be a dangerous place. From roaming animals to unsafe food, untested products and cars without seatbelts or hardly any safety features at all. Riding motorbikes without a helmet was the most natural thing and most of us reading this can remember riding our bicycles without a helmet. You never see a kid without a helmet on a bike anymore.
WINDHOEK - Air Namibia has confirmed schedule changes and frequency increases to a number of flights effective March 30, in an effort to improve its service offering on domestic and some regional routes. The national airline will increase capacity on routes where it often has high levels of spillage and is also introducing flights on days of the week most suited to clients’ requirements.
WINDHOEK - Seawork Fish Processors, as one of Namibia’s leading fishing companies, has joined Team Namibia (TN) as a member.
WINDHOEK – A national workshop is planned in response to concerns raised regarding the operational efficiency of the Central Procurement Board as well as Procurement Policy Unit.
LÜDERITZ - The N$400 million Lüderitz Waterfront development project represents the single largest business development in Lüderitz since independence.
WINDHOEK - The international world water and renewable energy community is scheduled to meet at the Safari Court Conference Centre in Windhoek at the beginning of April to discuss water resources and hydroelectric power development. The three days of discussion are to be preceded by training workshops and seminars.
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WINDHOEK – After surviving negative economic growth for the last two years, the Minister of Finance expects the worst effects of the recession to be over but has cautioned that the prolonged slump still calls call for comprehensive and targeted actions by both government and the private sector despite the expectation of moderate growth in the Namibian economy this year.
WINDHOEK – Many Windhoek residents were flabbergasted when they received their January water bills from City of Windhoek which in no way resembled the average monthly usage.
WINDHOEK – Following a 2018 study of the local automotive industry, the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) says the biggest concerns in respect of competition and market structure were found in the application of franchising in the vehicle retail market, more specifically the market for new vehicle sales, whereby one company is given exclusive rights by the franchisor to sell a certain brand in the entire country.
WINDHOEK – During 2018, the Ministry of Finance uncovered more corruption cases within its corridors compared to the previous year. Addressing his staff yesterday, Minister of Finance, Calle Schlettwein, revealed that while only six corruption cases were exposed in 2017/18, this year, the figure increased to more than double with 15 corruption cases discovered.
The Namibian economy will probably show marginally positive growth in 2019 of 1.5 percent in real terms. This outcome will largely be the result of a “flattening” out of the down cycle rather than a real recovery.
WINDHOEK – Air Namibia is fighting tooth and nail to have an attachment order by a German court thrown out as it argues that the judgement by a Munich court in January 2015 remains enforceable only in Germany.
WINDHOEK - The only accrual-based stakeholders that managed to receive three consecutive unqualified audit opinions between 2014 and 2017 were the Erongo Regional Council and the Aroab Village Council.
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WINDHOEK – Cash loan businesses in the country have thus far been silent on the new Microlending Act, 2018 (Act No. 7 of 2018) which came into force on 15 October 2018.
WINDHOEK - As someone that has always been fascinated by technology, I have looked on in amazement at the last 20 or so years. The way technology has enhanced and somewhat taken over our lives.
WINDHOEK - The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has confirmed the recent appointment of Morna Ikosa as its new Communications and Stakeholder Engagement manager.
WINDHOEK – An ugly spat between a local company, Khomas Civil Construction (KCC), and an Italian company called the Enertronica Group (EG), is brewing as accusations and counter-accusations are being thrown about by the two entities. EG, last year erected a five-Megawatt solar power plant in the Erongo Region for which it employed KCC to complete specific construction work.
WINDHOEK - Sanlam has confirmed the appointment of Denille Roostee as the new Marketing and Communications Manager for the organisation.
WINDHOEK – While the Namibian economy, which is still reeling from the effects of a prolonged recession, is expected to eventually return to growth sometime during the course of 2019, a local economist has cautioned that any rebound into positive territory will still be low growth of less than one percent. In fact, the growth expectation is for a mere 0.8 percent, according to Robert McGregor an economist at Cirrus Capital (Pty) Ltd.
The Namibia Statistics Agency, as we should all know by now, is the central statistics repository of the state and hence responsible for the collection, production, dissemination and analysis of official statistics. What drives the Agency is the need to ensure that the statistics produced are relevant, accurate, reliable and timely in order to influence decision and policy making.
WINDHOEK – Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, Tjekero Tweya, has called for an intensification of strategic alliances between Namibia and India to yield tactical outcomes fast-tracking industrialisation and prosperity for the two countries.
WINDHOEK - Airbus and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have announced the top 10 African tech start-ups that will take part in the latest Airbus Bizlab #Africa4Future accelerator programme. They were selected after an open public pitch event in front of experts, potential investors, the media and other stakeholders in Kenya’s capital city.
WINDHOEK – Public transportation, both via road and air, is still readily available from Namibia to Zimbabwe despite the political and civil unrest that flared up in the southern African nation this week. However, while transportation companies say they are ready to drive and fly, most of the buses destined for Zimbabwe are practically empty and flights under-booked as travellers seem to be waiting for the unrest to subside before travelling to the troubled country.
WINDHOEK - Quite often the chance to travel is dismissed once one considers the costs associated with it. When an individual considers visiting a new place, the first question that comes to mind is; How expensive is it going to be?
WINDHOEK – Most parents know that back-to-school is one of the most expensive times of the year, but it is estimated only half of parents make an effort to establish a back to school budget. Parents are well aware that that back-to-school shopping poses a financial burden on their families. A whopping percentage of parents spoken to claim that getting kids ready for a new year of classes leaves them with serious anxiety and shopping for necessary school items is the worst cause.
WINDHOEK – A disastrous ceiling collapse on Tuesday at the entrance of the Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino (WCCR) has been attributed to strong winds. Fortunately, no staff members or guests were injured when the entire ceiling of the VIP drop-off area came loose and crashed onto the floor of the entrance at around 14h00.
WINDHOEK - The Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) Board of Directors have confirmed the retirement of Shihaleni Ellis Ndjaba, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NDTC, who retired at the end of December 2018, following 11 years of dedicated service to the company. He is succeeded by Brent Eiseb, who previously served at strategic level as Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing. Eiseb’s appointment is effective from January 01, 2019.
WINDHOEK - As the Namibian economy continues to navigate economic challenges; the knock-on effect on consumers is one of the main issues keeping new SMEs awake at night.
WINDHOEK - Southern Business School (SBS) Namibia is making enrolling and registration for tertiary education in Namibia easier. The institution says it realises there may be logistical constraints to students registering in person, especially if registration only takes place in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK - The annual inflation rate for December 2018 stood at 5.1 percent as compared to 5.2 percent registered in December 2017. On a monthly basis it decreased to -0.2 percent from 0.7 percent recorded in November 2018.
WINDHOEK – Parents play a key role in the financial literacy of children. As they prepare their children for the New Year’s first school semester, the subject of money between the parent and the child will present itself one way or another. For a parent, this should be an opportunity to teach their children the importance of saving money for a brighter financial future.
WINDHOEK - Jerome Mutumba, Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) Head of Marketing and Corporate Communication, says that as the economy begins to improve entrepreneurs will find greater confidence to establish SMEs, and existing SMEs will seek finance to grow. However, he says, confidence should walk hand in hand with responsible borrowing.
WINDHOEK - As part of its corporate social responsibility, Standard Bank Namibia has donated over N$640 000 to the Forum for African Women Educationalists in Namibia (Fawena).
In today’s digital world of cloud, mobility, analytics and data, the focus for both business and consumers is to find answers to their problems. Just building a solution or buying devices and applications, without coming up with an answer, in the shortest possible time and most economical manner, will sooner or later prove meaningless and futile
“You don’t negotiate with China!” I was quickly told when I started interviewing African public servants about their infrastructure deals with Beijing. There is a widespread view in Africa that you accept whatever terms are offered, for fear that the money might go somewhere else instead.
WINDHOEK – Both business and leisure travellers alike looking for hospitalities and camping sites in Windhoek and surrounding areas are in for a great treat this holiday.
WINDHOEK - Telecom Namibia, under its TN Mobile brand, has extended its 3G and 4G connectivity to both urban and rural areas across the country, with the upgrade of 22 mobile sites and the erection of 10 new base stations in various parts of the country.
WINDHOEK - The Namibian ambassador to The Netherlands has welcomed the Dutch business community to come and invest in Namibia.
GENEVA – Developments within the drone or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) industry, is moving at a rapid pace in multiple directions as service providers scramble to provide low altitude, high altitude, recreational and commercial drone services. And, according to the Head of Cargo Transformation at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Celine Hourcade, Africa continues to lead the way in using drones to deliver goods.
WINDHOEK – Management of local Edgar’s stores parent company, Edcon Namibia, is tight-lipped about any possible implications for the more than 40 stores in Namibia and around 700 full-time and part-time employees as the group fights for its financial survival in South Africa.
WINDHOEK - “After enduring some of the highest property price appreciation in the world, the tide has turned, with buyers firmly in the driving seat and dictating terms as increased volumes have provided prospective buyers with much needed options,” says Namene Kalili, FirstRand Namibia Group Economist.
GENEVA - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that the global airline industry will realise a return on invested capital of 8.6 percent in 2019, which is quite similar to returns realised in 2018.
WINDHOEK - For the past four years, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has been making steady progress in creating awareness about its establishments within the Turkish market.
WINDHOEK - On Friday, 14 December 2018, Air Namibia’s Airbus A330 – 200 was operated by “an all Namibian female crew” who successfully took off with a 64 percent passenger load and safely landed in Frankfurt
WINDHOEK - Third quarter trade statistics, released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) last week, show that the value of exports increased
GENEVA - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that African airlines are to make a loss of more than N$4.2 billion (US$300 million) in 2019, which is in stark contrast to the rest of the global airline industry that is anticipated to report a net profit of close to half a trillion Namibia dollars (US$35.5 billion) next year.
GENEVA - It is not only Namibia or the Hosea Kutako International Airport that is currently experiencing a major aviation infrastructure challenge as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) yesterday revealed that the industry, globally, is approaching an infrastructure crisis.
WINDHOEK – FirstRand Namibia says it has 2 886 registered shareholders of which 2 760 are Namibian – who together own almost 103 million shares valued at more than N$4.6 billion as of June 2018.
WINDHOEK - The African Union together with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the African Airlines Association and the African Civil Aviation Commission, last week published a Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) handbook.
WINDHOEK - Global Credit Ratings (GCR) has affirmed the national scale ratings assigned to Capricorn Investment Group Limited and Bank Windhoek Limited of AA (NA) and A1+(NA) in the long-term and short-term respectively; with the outlook accorded as stable. Furthermore, Global Credit Ratings has affirmed the long-term South African national scale (Rand) issuer rating of A+(ZA) assigned to Bank Windhoek Limited; with the outlook also accorded as stable.
WINDHOEK - FNB Namibia’s newly-elevated and exclusive banking experience, called FNB Private Wealth revealed it’s new-look, turquoise-rimmed flat black debit card last week.
WINDHOEK - Standard Bank Namibia, together with MasterCard, last week launched their Lounge Key programme, which allows the bank’s Private Banking and Prestige Banking customers free access to 850 VIP lounges at international airports across the world, including Eros Airport.
Bank Windhoek reached a milestone this week Wednesday when it announced the successful issuance of Namibia’s first Green Bond. This achievement positions Bank Windhoek as the first local commercial bank to issue a Green Bond not only domestically but across the Southern African region.
Preliminary reports prepared by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has given Namibia flying colours in the security audit conducted from 19 to 28
WINDHOEK - Ethiopian Airlines, the largest aviation group in Africa and a Skytrax-certified four-star global airline has been crowned company of the year by All Africa Business Leaders Award (AABLA) on 29 November 2018 in Sandton, Johannesburg.
WINDHOEK - Upgrading of rural communities as part of the MTC 081Every1 project remains a pivotal tool towards achieving technological driven economy and the opportunities abound with it.
WINDHOEK - Team Prosperity Brokers from the University of Namibia (Unam) were announced as winners of the Scholars Investment Challenge 2018 at a prize-giving function held at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) last week Friday in Windhoek.
The Bank of Namibia’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) yesterday revealed that the Repo rate, the rate at which commercial banks borrow from the central bank which in turn determines interest rates, has been left unchanged at 6.75 percent. The MPC said the rate remains appropriate to maintain the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand, while supporting domestic economic growth.
WINDHOEK – The mining industry continues to be a significant driver of domestic economic growth to the extent that during the last four years over N$32 billion has been invested in new mines and reinvestments.
WINDHOEK - As per the Payments Association of Namibia Public Notice on 16 November 2018, and the Bankers’ Association of Namibia’s notice, cheques as a payment method in Namibia will no longer be accepted as of 30 June 2019.
WINDHOEK - Desert Fruit Namibia is one of only a handful of known producers of Fresh Bahri Dates in the Southern Hemisphere, and these dates, while relatively unknown in Europe and the US, remain a sought-after delicacy in the Middle East, with rising demand from the Muslim and Asian markets.
WINDHOEK - Out of the 15 categories, Namibia brought home two awards from the recent Southern Africa Startup Awards (SASAwards), which was held for the first time to celebrate and recognise the spirit of innovation and achievement in the startup ecosystem in the SADC region. SASA Namibia was represented by 11 regional winners from nine startups at the SASAwards grand finale that took place on 21 and 22 November 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
WINDHOEK - TransNamib Holdings Ltd, and Botswana Railways (BR) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Gaborone, Botswana, which will culminate in the development and operation of a container terminal in Gobabis.
WINDHOEK - Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) recently returned from marketing and networking session in Ghana, aimed at luring Ghanaian visitors to their resorts. The event took place on November 30, 2018 in conjunction with Air Namibia’s local representative who gave attendees the benefits of flying with Air Namibia.
WINDHOEK – NamPower has declared a dividend of N$60.7 million to its shareholder, the government yesterday. The dividend was approved at the electricity utility’s most recent annual general meeting where the NamPower board of directors decided to declare the dividend for the financial year ended June 30, 2018.
WINDHOEK – The much-awaited operationalisation of the Namibia Revenue Agency (Namra) continued to gain momentum yesterday. With the announcement of its Board of Directors before the semi-autonomous agency, it is scheduled to commence at the beginning of March 2019. Namra was established at the end of 2017 with the promulgation of the Namibia Revenue Agency Act after Cabinet approval in 2013, and will replace the current Inland Revenue Department in the Ministry of Finance.
WINDHOEK – The Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee, which will play a central role in the monitoring, evaluation, and implementation of PPPs, was yesterday announced by Finance Minister, Calle Schlettwein. Economic analysts believe that PPPs could provide amicable solutions to infrastructure development and economic growth in the domestic economy that is struggling to rebound from a recession. The main purpose of PPPs is to leverage private capital for national infrastructure developments.
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WINDHOEK - The Namibia Financial Capability Survey results were recently released at the Bank of Namibia, indicating that the average overall Namibia Financial Capability Survey for 2017 was 52.94 percent, which is a 10 percent increase, compared to 2013. The survey also showed that financial knowledge increased with 0.07 percent, and financial behaviour with 18.51 percent.
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WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Mines and Energy expects the Rössing Uranium Mine to continue operating under its existing and planned programs until otherwise informed by the board of directors or management of Rössing Uranium Limited.
WINDHOEK – The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), in conjunction with Engineers Without Borders Canada – Mining Shared Value (EWB-MSV), and the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI) is scheduled to host a forum on supporting effective mining local procurement strategies and best practices. The forum is slated for next week Wednesday at the NUST Hotel School in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK – Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, is concerned about recent job losses within the mining sector and has called on Namibian mining executives to brainstorm on how to retain employment for Namibians as well as to create prospects for unemployed graduates to benefit from the country’s extractive resources. Alweendo expressed his concern during a briefing with mining industry executives in Windhoek yesterday.
SWAKOPMUND - QKR Cooperation Limited has appointed George Botshiwe as the new Managing Director of the QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine, effective as of November 01, 2018. Botshiwe replaces Johan Coetzee who served as the managing director of the mine for the past five years.
Telecom brings in 1.5 billion in turnover
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As Green, we were privileged to be the only Namibian ICT company to be an exhibitor at AfricaCom 2018, just as we had been last year. We shared the booth with Submer whose Submer Smartpod is a green (environmentally green) solution for datacenter cooling – great to be partnering with such a cutting-edge technology company. What struck me at AfricaCom this
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WINDHOEK – President Hage Geingob, while speaking at the 10th anniversary partnership celebration between Huawei and MTC this week, stated that for Namibia to achieve the tenets of the AU Agenda 2063, “it is pertinent that we encourage, support and foster technological progress on the continent, to augment economic growth and stimulate positive social change.”
WINDHOEK - The FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust re-iterated its financial commitment and pledged more than N$364 000 to CHANGE, highlighting the continued commitment towards education and skills development programmes. Amongst its various courses, CHANGE provides a fashion design and tailoring programme, as well as business training.
WINDHOEK – Epangelo Mining, the State-owned mining company established in 2008 to occupy a significant position in major commodity businesses, inclusive of uranium, has confirmed that while it was not offered a first-right of refusal for the Rio Tinto shares in Rössing Uranium, because it is not a direct shareholder in the mine, it is in fact interested in increasing government’s three percent stake in Rössing Uranium. CEO of Epangelo Mining, Eliphas Hawala, yesterday explained to New Era that only the government is entitled to receive a first right to refusal offer because government is a direct shareholder in the mine.
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WINDHOEK - The festive season is a time of high risk for impulse spending – buying something because you see it, not because you need it. In light of Namibia’s economic downturn, fostering healthy spending behaviour has been top of mind for their citizens. Martha Murorua, Executive Officer for Consumer Banking at FNB Namibia, shares her thoughts.
WINDHOEK – MTC and Huawei on Monday celebrated 10 years of strategic partnership in the technological space. Guest of honour at the momentous occasion was President Hage Geingob.
WINDHOEK - After the tremendous success of the 2018 Start-Up Festival in Windhoek, the Gobabis Municipality in cooperation with the Financial Literacy Initiative hosted a Micro Business Start-up Festival in Gobabis this past weekend (24 November 2018) in the Freedom Square Informal Settlement.
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WINDHOEK – The Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, Tjekero Tweya, last week officially opened the Dr Shapumba Warehouses and Office Complex in Windhoek’s Northern Industrial Area.
WINDHOEK – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) yesterday commended African governments for their cooperation but has called for closer collaboration, particularly in the fields of safety and environmental sustainability.
WINDHOEK – Two Namibian companies, Pupkewitz Megabuild and Kaap Agri Namibia, are encouraging the responsible use of plastic shopping bags by introducing a fee for the bags.
WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Works and Transport is in the process of drafting a proposal for Namibia to accede to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which was launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the end of January 2018.
WINDHOEK – Nedbank Namibia’s new Head Office will represent close to half a billion Namibian dollars in capital expenditure with building activities gobbling up close to N$700 000 daily during the construction period. Also, Nedbank decided to use only local procurement as a way to inject an elixir into the local economy.
WINDHOEK – Vna Native Foods, the relatively young business that last week walked away with the one-million-dollar prize at the Development Bank of Namibia’s 2018 Innovation Awards, is determined to become a household brand in the country.
WINDHOEK - MTC Namibia partnered with Huawei to put the 4T6S solution into large-scale commercial use. The area selected to benefit from this solution is the central business district of Windhoek. This move is a conscious decision by MTC to efficiently improve network capacity and overall user experience while helping to slash site power consumption and total cost of operation.
WINDHOEK – As the year is quickly nearing its end, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is reflecting on some of the progress it made in 2018. NWR emphasises that the economic challenges facing the country played a significant role in how the company fared but notes that these trying times show how resilient the company is.
In many first world economies, the effects of global warming continue to manifest as a business reality. In response to this crisis, the Namibian banking sector, in support of the Millennium Development Goals, is mandated to play a vital role in accelerating the local market’s transition to a lower-carbon energy future.
WINDHOEK - The Prosperity Group recently hosted brokers, shareholders, senior management and the media at the new San Karros Daan Viljoen Mountain View venue. The aim of the cocktail event was to showcase the new conference and entertainment venue within the Daan Viljoen Park, while at the same time introducing the Prosperity Lifecare Insurance product range for 2019, with some new additions and tweaks.
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WINDHOEK - Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) has announced that as of November 9, 2018 it has reached the 2.5 million active subscribers mark on its books. This is quite a remarkable feat considering the Namibian Statistics Agency estimates that the entire Namibian population is 2.413 million people. MTC’s calculation is based on an active subscriber’s definition by global industry standards, meaning that an active SIM subscriber implies that the SIM card should have been active in the last three months to be defined as such. An inactive SIM card less than three months is not considered be as an active SIM card.
WINDHOEK – Direct Pay Online (DPO) Group, one of the leading online payments service provider in Africa, announced that it obtained a Payment Facilitator licence from the Payments Association of Namibia (PAN) at the end of September. The licence, which took them about a year to secure, enables the DPO Group to roll out its payment services directly to Namibian businesses and entrepreneurs.
WINDHOEK - Capricorn Group, Bank Windhoek’s holding company, recently launched its seven month Management Development Programme (MDP), in partnership with the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB).
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WINDHOEK - Chairperson of the Bankers Association of Namibia (BAN), Vetumbuavi Mungunda, has advised that the industry will completely phase out cheques as a payment instrument by June 2019.
WINDHOEK - A service level agreement signed this week between the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the Social Security Commission (SSC) will facilitate skills training in gemology, jewellery design and entrepreneurship for the country’s unemployed youth. The agreement, for which N$2 million has been reserved by SSC, was signed on Tuesday by Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST vice-chancellor (pro tem), and SSC chief executive officer, Milka Mungunda.
WINDHOEK – Consumers within the financial services sphere are becoming more and more educated particularly with regard to knowing and understanding their rights as customers. This, according to the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa), is evident from the number of consumer complaints that have been steadily increasing on an annual basis.
WINDHOEK - This Friday is Black Friday, a huge shopping event which sees people all over the world getting discounted products as retailers’ slash prices.
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CAPE TOWN – A Namibian corporate Information Communication Technology (ICT) solutions provider, Green Enterprise Solutions, also known as Green, last week clinched significant potential deals at the just ended AfricaCom Expo held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). This is according to the company’s Marketing and Communication Coordinator, Agnes Nyirenda.
GOBABIS – ABInBev Namibia, the brewing company situated in Okahandja, contributed N$300 000 to the Lady Pohamba Maternity Shelter in Gobabis, the capital of Omahake Region. The donation is to be used for the construction of the
WINDHOEK - The Road Fund Administration (RFA) has cautioned that closing of funding gaps along with initiating other revenue solutions will be required in both the medium and long-term in order to meet targets set out in the fifth National Development Plan, Harambee Prosperity Plan and Vision 2030.
WINDHOEK - At the Annual Integrated Reporting Awards 2018, hosted in Johannesburg by Chartered Secretaries Southern Africa in partnership with the JSE Limited on 14 November 2018, Capricorn Group took home the Best Regional Company Award 2018.
WINDHOEK - PowerCom Pty Ltd is currently in the process of constructing a new 30m Lattice tower at Kuisebmond which will be fully commissioned by January 2019 as part of its commitment to infrastructure investment. Demand for tower space has continued to grow in Kuisebmond, as well as across Namibia. The tower infrastructure company is responding to these demands and beginning their 2019 construction schedule in Kuisebmond.
WINDHOEK - Winner of N$1 million in the Development Bank of Namibia 2018 Innovation Award, VNA Native Foods, provided a plan to manufacture powdered soup made from African spinach. The product will provide an additional outlet for local agriculture, contribute to the Agri-industry, and be an alternative to imported powdered soups.
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CAPE TOWN –There is critical shortage of skilled ICT professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa, which hampers the growth of a thriving ICT sector, which underpins economic growth. To address this skills shortage, Huawei launched an ICT Talent Ecosystem Programme in Sub-Saharan Africa at Africacom 2018 - the largest telecommunications event in Africa, being held Cape Town.
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WINDHOEK - Vivo Energy, the market-leading company that distribute and markets Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Africa, held its annual Safety Day on Thursday. The Safety Day was an opportunity for all parties at Vivo Energy to refocus on the importance of Health, Safety, and Security & Environment (HSSE).
WINDHOEK - The Ministry of Mines and Energy says it has noticed with growing concern the illegal activities taking place at the Oshikango border post in the Ohangwena Region where large amounts of illegal fuel are smuggled into the country for resale. Angolan petrol sells for just over N$6 per litre and diesel for about N$7.30 per litre compared to well over N$14 per litre in Namibia.
CAPE TOWN – Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), the country’s largest mobile operator, has launched a comprehensive fibre internet and digital Cloud computing service to spearhead digital transformation in the country.
WINDHOEK - The Namibia Statistics Agency’s (NSA’s) latest Consumer Price Index and inflation rate estimates for the month of October 2018 indicate that the annual inflation rate slowed to 5.1 percent compared to 5.2 percent recorded in October 2017, registering a decrease of 0.1 percentage points. Based on October 2018 price movements, the monthly inflation rate stood at 0.4 percent compared to 0.8 percent registered a month earlier.
WINDHOEK - Nedbank Namibia Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) and Noric Otavi Steel Processing (Pty) Ltd this week signed an agreement for Nedbank to act as the lead arranger for the Otavi Steel Manufacturing Plant project in Otavi. According to the agreement, Nedbank will assist with the financial structuring of the project and facilitate the raising of both quasi-equity and debt capital for the N$2.7 billion project.
WINDHOEK - Vetumbuavi Mungunda, the Managing Director of Standard Bank Namibia, was awarded with the Institute of People Management’s MD of the Year Award at its recently concluded IPM Excellence Gala Dinner Awards. The glamorous event took place at Hilton Hotel in front of a packed audience on Tuesday.
WINDHOEK - Running a small family business in Namibia is not for the faint of heart. Laurence Theron, born in Swakopmund and living in Walvis Bay, says it’s getting tougher for small and medium (SME)-size businesses to survive.
WINDHOEK - Green Enterprise Solutions (Green) this week once again attended Africa’s largest Telecom Conference in Cape Town. Green is the only Namibian company to be an exhibitor with its own stand at this pan-African event.
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WINDHOEK - Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has to date paid N$60 million in interest to the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), as interest on the N$120 million loan the company borrowed in 2006, Managing Director Zelna Hengari said.
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WINDHOEK - J&B Estates was awarded as the Top Estate Agency for the Coastal Region at the recently concluded Bank Windhoek Coastal Estate Agents Awards ceremony hosted in Walvis Bay.
WINDHOEK - Last week the FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust handed over 10 refurbished computers to the Eldorado Secondary School. Principal Salwa Khedr said most of the computers will be used to increase learner intake in the ‘office practice’ subject, while two will be used in the school library.
WINDHOEK – A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that visited Namibia at the beginning of November are of the opinion that a gradual recovery is imminent from the recessionary phase experienced in economy.
WINDHOEK - Bank Windhoek received the Gold award as the best Corporate Clinic in Namibia for the sixth consecutive year at a Namibia Blood Transfusion Services (NAMBTS) Annual General Meeting (AGM) hosted last week in Windhoek.
WINDHOEK - The inaugural Afrox Leadership Academy programme culminated in a gala dinner attended by First Lady Monica Geingos, in Windhoek on Friday, November 9, at Safari Hotel. The Afrox Leadership Academy was birthed out of the desire by the management of Afrox Namibia to identify the best possible method for intervention in skills development and poverty eradication in Namibia.
WINDHOEK – Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) and Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) have reached a deadlock regarding the proposed salary increment for its employees. The deadlock has resulted in Napwu receiving a certificate of unresolved dispute that provides them with the mandate to go on strike after the rules of engagement are agreed between the two parties.
WINDHOEK – The Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations has welcomed the Cabinet approved Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for hake of 154 000 metric tons for the 2018/2019 fishing season, which begins November 1 and ends on September 30, 2019. According to chairman of the confederation, Matti Amukwa, the TAC, which is recommended by fisheries scientists in the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, is much like an individual’s salary in that you can get by what you have but you would always welcome more.
WINDHOEK - Using wealth to bring about a positive change to the world as well as leaving behind a legacy for your family and the next generation, were the underlining themes of the Nedbank Namibia Private Wealth official launch which took place on Wednesday, 7 November at the Am Weinberg Estate in Klein Windhoek.
WINDHOEK – Up to 19 member states of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) will meet in Windhoek for the 42nd Administrative Council meeting from 19 to 23 November 2018. ARIPO is an inter-governmental
This week New Era’s Senior Business Reporter, Edgar Brandt (EB), interviewed the Business Development Manager of Finnish energy firm, Wärtsilä, Mark Zoeters (MZ) who formed part of a Finnish business delegation that recently visited Namibia for a business seminar themed ‘Finland World Ideas’. The seminar was organised by the Finnish embassy.
WINDHOEK - “I could not wish for more; the infrastructure is ready and it is now up to NamPost to utilize it maximally and create efficiencies that impact positively on both the customer and the staff of NamPost.” These sentiments were expressed by Nangula Hamunyela, chairperson of the Namibia Post Limited Board, when he officially inaugurated NamPost’s new courier warehouse on Wednesday.
WINDHOEK - AB InBev Namibia in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture Water and Forestry (MAWF) this week officially signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) related to ensuring Namibia’s water sustainability
WINDHOEK - Despite prevalent economic headwinds which have an adverse impact on revenue collection, government is staying the course to rein in the fiscal deficit and total public debt, as announced by Minister of Finance, Calle Schlettwein, when he presented the fourth Mid-year Budget Review at the end of October.
WINDHOEK - The Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino (WCCR) has announced the opening of the new Puku bar and restaurant at the pool area of the resort.
WINDHOEK - Since the introduction of digital channels, be it on a PC or mobile phone, fraudsters have targeted unsuspecting users of these channels. This ranges from incidents related to phishing, card swopping, skimming, ATM fraud, and identity theft, 419 scams and sim swopping.
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WINDHOEK – Economists have cautioned that the country-wide increase in fuel prices of N$0.50 per litre for petrol and N$0.70 per litre for diesel, which came into effect today, will continue to push up inflation. This is because rising fuel prices will result in higher transportation costs which will gradually lead to higher prices for consumer products.
WINDHOEK – Motorists will have to brace themselves again on Wednesday this week when the recent warnings by economists that the fuel prices will continue to rise will become reality. Minister of Mines and Energy. Tom Alweendo, confirmed in a statement yesterday that Petrol will increase by 50 cents a litre while all grades of Diesel will go up by 70 cents a litre.
WINDHOEK - The stronger growth in credit extended to the private sector compared to credit extended to individuals is in general a welcome sign since households or individuals are already highly indebted.
WINDHOEK - Etosha Fishing Corporation asserted its position as a leading producer of quality canned fish products at the 6th Annual National Quality Awards hosted by the Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) in October. The company once again received top honours by winning three of the five large enterprise categories, including Company of the Year, Exporter of the Year and Product of the Year, a feat it managed in both 2015 and 2017.
WINDHOEK - The World Bank’s (WB) Doing Business Report 2019, released at the end of October 2018, shows Namibia dropped one rank from 106 to 107 out of a total of 190 countries. The report ranks Namibia as 7th out of 14-member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) just like last year. However, while five SADC member states improved the ranking by up to five places (Mauritius) and one country maintained the ranking (South Africa), most SADC countries dropped by up to seven places (Tanzania).
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WINDHOEK – The ministry of labour has announced new minimum wages for domestic workers, which came into effect on October 1, 2018. The new wages for domestic workers were determined by a one percent increase coupled with the average inflation rate on basic items.
WINDHOEK – The Namibia Integrated Employment Information System (NIEIS) has placed over 5 000 people in jobs at various organisations across the country since its inception in 2013.
WINDHOEK - In the latest housing index by FNB Namibia, Group Economist Namene Kalili concluded that the stage has been set for lower housing demand. “This can be based on economic growth stagnating, consumer confidence waning, increased affordable housing delivery, increased land delivery, rising interest rates, rising home ownership costs and the economy still shedding jobs.”
WINDHOEK - The Gondwana Collection Namibia opens its new lodge, The Desert Grace, in the endless expanse of the Namib Desert today.
KEETMANSHOOP - The Namibian and Indonesian governments have signed a plan of action to help practical collaboration in the fisheries area between the two countries.
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WINDHOEK - With an ever-changing global communication ecosystem, the need to invest heavily in infrastructure remains a critical component for the growth of any telecommunications company if their goal is to survive in the cutthroat communication industry.
WINDHOEK - Standard Bank Namibia recently appointment Daniel van Der Merwe as its new commercial relationship manager.
WINDHOEK - Aqua Real Estate was awarded the top estate agent award in both residential and commercial categories for the central region at a glittering Bank Windhoek Central Estate Agents Awards in Windhoek last week. Virgo Real Estate and Hot Properties took the second and third spot respectrively.
WINDHOEK - Pupkewitz Megabuild last week opened a new branch at Outjo.
WINDHOEK - Mika Lintilä, the Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of Finland, who arrived in Namibia on Saturday, is visiting the country for a week. The visit is organised in collaboration with Team Finland and Business Finland and includes about 50 industry leaders from 32 Finnish companies and institutions, making it one of the biggest business delegations of Finland so far accompanying the minister of economic affairs abroad.
WINDHOEK - International media from Reuters to CNBC was abuzz this weekend with news that Namibia has scrapped the requirement for partial black ownership and management of companies seeking mining exploration licenses. The Chamber of Mines said on Friday the requirements had been set aside by Mines and Energy Minister, Tom Alweendo, in a letter to the group.
WINDHOEK – While no new taxes were proposed yesterday by Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein, he mentioned that his ministry had made detailed income tax proposals available for further consultation. According to him, concerns were raised that some of the proposed changes will put additional strain on the already weak economy instead of stimulating growth.
WINDHOEK - “Investing in scary times” was the theme of an event held by Eos Capital, a private equity manager, in Windhoek on Tuesday. Speaking at the event was the CEO of the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA), Tanya van Lill, with the key message that pension funds in Namibia can find attractive and safe returns during these times by investing in private equity and infrastructure funds while also helping to stimulate the economy.
WINDHOEK - Privately owned solar generation is a significant force for the future of Namibian enterprises, says Development Bank of Namibia Head of Marketing and Corporate Communication, Jerome Mutumba.
WINDHOEK - In these trying economic times some relief for consumers came yesterday when the Bank of Namibia’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) left the repo rate unchanged at 6.75 percent. According to the MPC, this rate is appropriate to maintain the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand, while supporting domestic economic growth. The repo rate is the rate at which commercial banks borrow money from the central bank and in turn determines interest rates charged to bank customers.
WINDHOEK – The Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino (WCCR) yesterday handed over a dividend cheque of N$6 million to government for the 2017/18 financial year, representing between 15 percent to 20 percent of EBITA (earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation).
WINDHOEK - Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the United Kingdom on October 08 designated the Botswana Stock Exchange Limited (BSEL) as a “Recognised Stock Exchange”.
WINDHOEK - In the wake of ever-increasing advances in criminalistics activities around forging of documents, the need for advanced machine assisted verification of documents is higher than ever.
WINDHOEK – Air Namibia says it intends to challenge a court case in which a now defunct Belgian aviation industry carrier, Challenge Air, is demanding more than N$400 million (EUR 25 million).
As the 5th National ICT Summit draws to a close, we can look back on an event that has grown and matured over the years. With stakeholders from all sectors, taking part and discussing ICT and how it can assist in propelling our great nation forward to growth and prosperity and affect real socio-economic change.
WINDHOEK - With Namibia’s role as a logistics hub in the southern Africa region becoming more apparent, business and job opportunities increased exponentially in Namibia’s harbours and transport sector. Andreas Armas of Andreas Armas Stevedoring CC and Misty Bay CC says he runs successful businesses in this tough sector.
The end of another year is rapidly approaching and all thoughts are on December, the festive season is the season of giving. This means bonuses, 13th cheques are on the way and some employers even give a 14th cheque.
WINDHOEK - In an effort to curb anti-competitive behaviour amongst Namibian companies, the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) yesterday launched its Corporate Leniency Programme (CLP). The CLP provides a framework for businesses engaged in cartel conduct to report themselves to the Commission and hand over evidence regarding cartel conduct in return for lenient treatment.
WINDHOEK - Last week Nedbank Namibia hosted a business luncheon at Hotel Heinitzburg, which was attended by the who’s who of the Namibian business community, including the Minister of Finance Calle Schlettwein and Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo.
WINDHOEK - This week Namibia will launch the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE). The centre will be launched through the Ministry of Mines and Energy in Windhoek on 24 October 2018 at an event that will be officiated by the Minister of Mines and Energy Namibia, Tom Alweendo.
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WINDHOEK - The development of any country relies largely on the quality of human capital. Education plays a vital role in the development of human capital and is linked with individuals’ well-being and opportunities for better living.
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WINDHOEK - For the second time in a row, the Bank of Namibia has clinched the Deloitte Best Company to Work For Award , having won the award also in 2017. The bank was awarded a Platinum Seal of Achievement in the Small/Medium Size Company Category of companies with fewer than 500 employees at an award ceremony that took place on Wednesday, October 17.
