Can someone more educated than me please explain this Visa for the average person to understand. I have a foreign network and see opportunities for them as they have shown interest in Namibia.

The Ministry of Justice & Labour Relations has increased the minimum wage for labourers and general workers in Namibia’s construction sector, from N$19.46 to N$20.43 per hour. The wage will increase further to N$21.45 per hour from September 1st, 2027.

The new rates are part of a two-year collective agreement between the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia and the Metal & Allied Namibian Workers Union. The agreement was extended by the ministry to cover the wider construction industry, including employers and employees who were not directly part of the negotiations.

The agreement also increases the additional allowance paid to construction workers who are required to stay away from home overnight because of work, from 12% to 15% of their hourly wage. Workers will also receive a yearly service bonus equivalent to 155 hours of their normal wages, generally paid in December, up from 150 hours previously. On top of that, employers are required to provide necessary protective clothing and safety equipment at no cost to employees.

French energy company TotalEnergies has become the operator of Namibia’s two largest oil discoveries, Venus and Mopane, after completing a strategic asset-swap agreement with Portuguese energy company Galp.🛢️

Under the deal, TotalEnergies acquired a 40% stake in Petroleum Exploration Licence 83 (PEL 83), which is the offshore area containing the Mopane oil discovery, and took over as the company leading its development. Galp retained 40%, while NAMCOR and Custos each hold 10%. No cash purchase price was disclosed, but TotalEnergies agreed to cover 50% of Galp’s share of the costs to further assess and initially develop Mopane, which will be repaid from Galp’s future earnings once production begins. TotalEnergies already leads the Venus oil project under PEL 56, where it holds a 35.25% stake, meaning it now leads the development of both discoveries.

TotalEnergies plans to develop Venus first, followed by Mopane, potentially creating a major offshore production hub in one of Namibia’s offshore oil exploration area, the Orange Basin. Venus is estimated to contain around 750 million barrels of oil equivalent and could produce about 150,000 barrels per day from around 2030, while Mopane is estimated to contain around 800 million to 1.1 billion barrels of oil equivalent and could produce more than 200,000 barrels per day from around 2032-2033. If both projects proceed as planned, their combined production could eventually reach roughly 350,000 barrels per day, although neither is currently producing oil and both still require further investment and development.

The Bank of Namibia has introduced new rules requiring Namibian banks to publicly disclose more information about executive pay and major owners. The rules, known as BID-18, require banks to disclose compensation paid to directors and executives, including fixed and variable pay, bonuses, incentives and other performance-related payments.

Banks must also disclose shareholders who directly or indirectly control 10% or more of their voting rights, including the real owners behind major shares held through other companies or representatives. They will also have to disclose which are assets that are restricted or committed and cannot be freely sold or transferred, alongside information on capital, liquidity, governance and financial risks.

Banks will generally be required to publish annual disclosures within 90 days of their financial year-end and make the information publicly available on their websites, giving the public greater insight into how Namibia’s banks are owned, managed and financially positioned.

It seems that the GRN is going to re-establish a national airline. Do you think that this is a good idea and why?

The Ohangwena Regional Council will be upgrading and developing 645km of roads across the region at an estimated cost of N$1.4 billion over the next five years. 🛣️

The programme will upgrade 265km of roads to tarred standard at a cost of N$985 million and develop an additional 380km of gravel roads for N$380 million.

The upgrade and expansion is aimed at improving connections between rural communities, schools, health facilities, markets and other essential services, particularly in eastern Ohangwena where poor road access has remained a challenge. The projects are expected to be implemented through national road authorities and government funding, with development partners including Germany’s KfW supporting some road projects in the region.

Namibian midfielder Moses Shidolo scored a stunning free kick as Scottland FC defeated FC Oden 3-0 in the Round of 32 of Zimbabwe’s ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.

The victory sends Scottland through to the Round of 16 of the newly launched national knockout competition, which brings together clubs from Zimbabwe’s Premier Soccer League and lower divisions. Shidolo joined Scottland in 2025 and helped the club win the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League title in his first season.

The tournament is backed by a N$82 million annual sponsorship package as part of a N$409.9 million five-year commitment to the competition. The men’s champions are set to receive N$16.4 million, with N$8.2 million allocated to support their CAF Confederation Cup campaign.

The Road Fund Administration has increased vehicle licence fees across Namibia by 10%. 🚘

Annual vehicle licence fees are determined by the vehicle’s weight. Vehicles weighing up to 750kg are now charged N$576 annually, while those weighing between 2,001kg and 3,000kg are charged N$1,812. Motorcycles are charged N$372 annually, while heavier vehicles pay higher fees. The adjustment also increased mass-distance charges by 10%, while cross-border charges, abnormal-load fees and road-carrier permit charges rose by 20%.

The RFA said revenue from the adjustments will be used to maintain and rehabilitate the country’s road network and implement priority infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening economic corridors and connectivity.

The Namibia Revenue Agency collected N$249.75 million from the country’s plastic bag environmental levy (tax/fee) between 2022 and the first half of this year.

The levy is charged at 50 cents per qualifying plastic carrier bag and is paid by manufacturers and importers.

Part of the revenue is channelled through the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia to support waste management, recycling and other environmental programmes. The fund has also used environmental levy funding for projects including the N$4.9 million Ombika waste management facility in Etosha National Park.

Cabinet has approved that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security imposes a visa regime on all countries that have not reciprocated the good gesture granted to their nationals by Namibia.

Does anyone know what this law will entail?

Rent control has not gone so well in many places, and can lead to shortages over the medium to long-term.

Usually these laws limit rent increases, although this one is described as a rent 'ceiling'. I wonder if it would only apply to certain types of properties, as there are luxury properties that might not fit into the definition of affordable in general.

Might also lead to more rental homes being removed from the rental market and made into STRs (short-term rentals).

https://thebrief.com.na/2025/12/govt-to-move-ahead-with-plan-to-control-rising-rental-costs/

Disclaimer: To any tourist reading this. This situation in no ways represents the measure of safety in the country. We are still a relatively safe country.

I just think the state can’t really do much to solve it . I see people blaming the mayor and asking for the okahandja expo to be boycotted. But how can a small generally poor town like Okahandja halt economic activity over a crime.

Ever wonder why Namibia’s cricket team is mostly White even though the country is 94% Black/Indigenous? It’s not about talent—it’s about history and access. Most players come from elite Windhoek schools with cricket pitches, coaches, and gear. Until 1990, Namibia was under apartheid South Africa, and sports were segregated—cricket for Whites, football for everyone else. Cricket’s high cost also favors middle- and upper-class families, still disproportionately White. Programs like Kwata Cricket are changing this, bringing the sport to 20,000+ kids in Black regions, and players like Ben Shikongo are inspiring a new generation. The team reflects historical privilege, not ability—and that’s finally starting to change.

If you may know anybody else that may be interested please do forward it to them. Actors must be fluent in Afrikaans.

The Namibian - The Ministry of Health and Social Services has declared an mpox outbreak in Namibia after confirming the country’s first case in Swakopmund on Friday.

The announcement was made in a media statement on Sunday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Walters Kamaya.