Financial Stability

Interview: Josef Sheehama on Rent: A Call for Fairness and Stability in Namibia’s Property Market

In a recent statement, Business and Economics researcher Josef Sheehama discussed the potential impacts of a rent strike in Namibia, drawing comparisons to similar actions, such as the "blackout" protests in the U.S. against wealth inequality. Sheehama's analysis raises important concerns about the rising cost of housing in Namibia and stresses the need for fairness and stability in the property market. The Impact of a Rent Strike in Namibia's […]

March 10, 2025 19

Business / Economics

S.A Reserve Bank Governor Warns of Inflation Risks

South African Reserve Bank Governor, Lesetja Kganyago, has warned that global trade tensions and a potential value-added tax hike could derail two years of slowing inflation. Last week the national budget speech was postponed, after a last-minute disagreement within the government of national unity, about a proposal to hike value-added tax by two-percent. Speaking to CNBC Africa on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 finance officials in Cape Town, […]

February 26, 2025 33

Africa

Botswana Holds Interest Rate Steady Amid Rising Inflation

Botswana’s central bank has maintained its monetary policy rate at 1.90% for the third consecutive meeting, the bank announced on Thursday says CNBCAfrica. Inflation rose to 2.5% in January, up from 1.7% in December, but remains below the Bank of Botswana’s preferred range of 3% to 6% in the medium term. The country’s economy, heavily reliant on diamond exports, faced a contraction last year due to weakened global demand for […]

February 21, 2025 15

Business / Economics

Banking Leaders Chart the Future at CEO Roundtable

The banking sector CEOs gathered for a strategic roundtable discussion this week, focusing on pressing challenges such as climate risk, cybersecurity, and regulatory policies. The event, hosted by the Bank of Namibia, carried the theme "Setting the Scene and Driving Impact for 2025," as highlighted by Ms. Naufiku Hamunime, Technical Expert in International Relations & Sustainability.

February 21, 2025 31

Business / Economics

Bank of Namibia Affirms Financial Stability Following Recent Review

Naufiku Hamunime, the Acting Director of Strategic Communications and International Relations, shared updates from the Bank of Namibia’s Macro Prudential Oversight Committee. After their December 5th meeting, she confirmed that the financial system remains stable, with both banking and non-banking sectors maintaining sufficient capital and liquidity to handle potential losses.

December 13, 2024 34

Business / Economics

In S.A, Financial Stability Review Highlights Growing Strain on Households

S.A's Reserve Bank's latest Financial Stability Review reveals growing financial stress among households and small-to-medium enterprises. High interest rates, ageing global conflicts, infrastructure failures, and South Africa's graylist status contribute to the strain. Reserve Bank’s head of financial stability department Nicola Brink, says non-performing loans surged from 257-billion-rand in March 2023 to 304-billion-rand in July 2024:

December 2, 2024 22

Local

BANK OF NAMIBIA WARNS PUBLIC AGAINST FRAUDULENT INVESTMENT SCHEMES

The Bank of Namibia has noted with increasing concern the rise of fraudulent investment schemes that falsely promise financial backing for Namibia’s development initiatives. These schemes are particularly aimed at high-ranking government officials, ministries, traditional leaders, and prominent public figures, exploiting their reputations to lend credibility to deceptive offers. Recently, the Bank has observed that prominent religious and traditional leaders, as well as church elders, are also approached […]

October 23, 2024 15

South Africa

South Africa is changing its retirement rules to help boost country savings: how it will work

By Adrian Saville, University of Pretoria A study of 160 countries, spanning 60 years of economic history, establishes that there is no country that has been able to transition from “poor to prosperous” without a high savings rate. And that households - in other words you and me - are one of the most important contributors to a country’s overall level of savings rate. Yet, […]

July 29, 2024 29

Opinion Pieces

Breaking Down Barriers to Life Insurance

By Dinah Tjahere, Broker Consultant, Old Mutual Namibia Life insurance is generally perceived as a matter designated for the financially savvy. However, it is a key tool for financial stability that provides everyone with peace of mind. Unfortunately, many people, particularly those in underprivileged communities, struggle to obtain life insurance. These hurdles can stem from a combination of misunderstandings and constraints on traditional financial resources. A […]

July 25, 2024 17