The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has renewed the contract of CEO Emilia Nghikembua for a second term running from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030, citing her exemplary leadership and outstanding performance during her first term. The CRAN board credits her with spearheading transformative reforms in Namibia's telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has renewed the contract of CEO Emilia Nghikembua for a second term running from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030, citing her exemplary leadership and outstanding performance during her first term. The CRAN board credits her with spearheading transformative reforms in Namibia's telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Oshakati West councillor Ndilimeke Iileka, sworn in December 2024, says she will prioritize road access, earth dam construction, and youth development projects to address persistent community challenges including infrastructure, basic services, and youth unemployment.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Newly sworn-in Okaku constituency councillor Esther Fillemon has outlined her development vision, prioritising youth employment initiatives, food production, and local economic opportunities to address persistent community challenges and strengthen service delivery.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Newly sworn-in Okatana constituency councillor Petrus Ashipala has outlined five long-term development goals focused on climate-resilient infrastructure, economic diversification, land and housing access, social development, and good governance, aligned with the Oshana Regional Council's strategic plan, Namibia's sixth national development plan, and the Swapo Party manifesto.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Meatco, Namibia's largest meat processing entity, has set a slaughter target of 63,000 cattle for 2026 after falling far short of its 70,000-head goal in 2025 due to disease outbreaks and favourable rainfall that encouraged farmers to retain stock. The interim CEO stated that achieving these volumes is critical to covering operating costs and returning the business to profitability.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Brendon Bam of Windhoek builds toy trucks from wire and recycled materials, both to collect scrap and generate income by repairing and building custom wire vehicles for customers. He earns around N$300 for repairs and N$1,800 for building new trucks, and says the work keeps him away from crime.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Oil prices dipped after the United States ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, raising prospects that billions of barrels could enter the global market in coming years. Analysts expect the oversupplied oil market will absorb the supply uncertainty with limited impact on prices, though shares in defence companies and gold miners rallied on new geopolitical risks.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
NamibiaOilAndGas.com, a homegrown platform, has been created to safeguard Namibian oil and gas industry data, prevent "data drain," and ensure that critical information on the Orange Basin discoveries remains managed and owned by Namibians rather than international organisations.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Namibia recorded widespread rainfall over recent days, with moderate falls across north-central and north-eastern regions and lighter showers in the south, boosting river flows and maintaining national dam storage at 80.1% as of 5 January. However, authorities note a storage deficit of 28.7% compared to the same period last year, with dam levels ranging from highs of 97.7% at Neckartal Dam to lows below 5% at Bondels and Tjivero Silt dams.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →
Crop farmers in Kavango East await further rain to secure harvests, but some remain sceptical after December showers proved insufficient and the region experienced prolonged dry spells. While a few farmers see promise in flowing rivers and seasonal patterns, others warn that delayed rains and soil erosion could jeopardise this season's yields.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Namibian police have made multiple drug arrests across the country at the start of the new year, seizing large quantities of cannabis and Mandrax in operations at checkpoints, homes, and other locations. The seized drugs, including 615 grams of skunk cannabis, Mandrax tablets, and other cannabis products, were valued at tens of thousands of namibia dollars, with suspects arrested in locations including Otjinene, Oshakati, Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo, and Kalkrand.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →
A male body was discovered floating in water near Ondangwa on Sunday and initially suspected to be a drowning case, but police preliminary investigations revealed the deceased's private parts were missing, leading them to suspect murder instead.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →
Sinskus Johannes, accused of fatally shooting headman Sam Nepando and injuring headman I-Ben Nashandi in Oshikoto Region's Iikokola village on Friday, was remanded in custody with his case postponed to 18 June to allow him to apply for legal aid. The accused and victims were childhood family friends with close social ties.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →
The Commissioner-General of the Namibia Correctional Service said that meaningful development requires active community participation, highlighting the successful completion of a facility clinic in Kunene Region thanks to collaboration with local traditional leaders and community members.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →
A 59-year-old man has been remanded in custody after allegedly shooting and killing Onelago village headman Sem Nepando and critically wounding Iikokola headman I-Ben Nashandi in a shooting at Iikokola village on Friday; the accused faces charges including murder, attempted murder, and discharging a firearm in a public place, with the case postponed to June 18, 2026 for further investigation.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Oshakati Town Council has moved 122 flood-affected families to free serviced residential plots at Onawa Township as part of a wider 180-household relocation programme following a presidential directive to replace temporary shelters with permanent housing solutions. The remaining 58 beneficiaries are expected to receive plot allocations before the end of February.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
A 36-year-old man died on Sunday morning after being struck by lightning along the Chobe river in the Muyako area of Katima Mulilo rural constituency. The Zambezi Regional Police Commander said investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances of the incident.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Charles Nawa Nawa, aged 50, former CEO of Katima Mulilo Town Council from 2012 to 2016, died on Friday morning in a Windhoek hospital after battling a heart illness for several months. He was remembered for infrastructure developments including traffic lights, road tarring, and police stations, and for his community involvement across construction, business, and local service.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Frans Ndema Mawano, 33, was granted bail in Rundu court after his girlfriend, 32-year-old Secilia David, fell from his vehicle and died in Kakoro village. Mawano faces charges including culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving, and driving without a licence while allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Okongo constituency councillor Lebbeus Shipindo, newly appointed chairperson of Ohangwena Regional Council, says over 80% of villages in his constituency now have access to water via boreholes. He highlighted achievements including a community poultry farm, facilitation of national document issuance services locally, and sponsorship of students in aviation programmes.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
A 25-year-old man died after being electrocuted while attempting to enter a mini tipper truck in Oshifukwa village. The incident occurred when the truck's tipping box struck a Nored electrical line while offloading sand, causing an electric charge on the truck's body.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Two musicians from Katima Mulilo and Kavango East describe the challenges of building music careers outside Namibia's main industry hubs, citing expensive studio time, difficulty affording professional videos, and limited promotion access, though one has gained recent online traction and another has achieved national recognition after years of persistence.
6 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Two musicians from outside Namibia's main music hubs—DJ Vuyo from Katima Mulilo and UGEE from Kavango East—describe the obstacles facing rural artists, including expensive studio time, costly professional promotion, and years of struggle before gaining national recognition. Both say persistence, self-funding, and remaining opportunity-ready have been key to building their careers.
6 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Captain Gerhard Erasmus will lead Namibia's 15-player squad to their fourth successive Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month, featuring a mix of experienced players like Bernard Scholtz and younger talent including 17-year-old Max Heingo. The squad includes nine players who competed in the 2024 T20 World Cup, with Erasmus and Scholtz among the team's most capped and highest-performing players.
6 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Suné Wittmann will captain the Namibia Capricorn Eagles at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Nepal from 18 January. The squad is young but experienced, with three players already having won over 100 caps and six more with more than 50 caps.
6 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Phillip Seidler claimed his twelfth Pupkewitz Jetty Mile victory at Swakopmund in 19 minutes and 40 seconds, ahead of Nico Esslinger in second place. In the women's race, 16-year-old Madison Bergh won with a time of 24 minutes and 8 seconds, while the event drew a record 179 participants across all categories.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
The 2025 Nedbank Desert Classic brought 140 amateur golfers to Swakopmund, with Dan Zwiebel and 11-year-old Neil Salt winning the tournament. Now in its seventh year of Nedbank sponsorship, the event emphasizes youth development and community engagement alongside competitive golf.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Craig, one of Kenya's most famous elephants known for his massive ground-sweeping tusks, died of natural causes at age 54 in Amboseli National Park. The Kenya Wildlife Service credited decades of dedicated protection, anti-poaching efforts, and community stewardship with allowing Craig to become a symbol of successful East African conservation.
6 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Following recent widespread rainfall, Etosha National Park is showing visible signs of recovery with animals returning to waterholes and lush grazing areas. Elephants, zebras, springbok, wildebeest, gemsbok, and giraffes have been observed taking advantage of improved conditions and renewed vegetation growth after months of drought.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →
Two suspects aged 24 and 75 have been arrested in Omusati's Tsandi policing area after being found with two live tortoises without a permit at a cattle post. The tortoises, valued at N$10,000, were seized by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.
6 January 2026 · Informanté →
The United Kingdom has implemented a ban on television and online advertising of high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar food and drinks, effective Monday, prohibiting such ads on TV before 21h00 and at any time online. The move aims to tackle childhood obesity, with the government estimating it will prevent around 20,000 cases.
6 January 2026 · The Namibian →
The Central Bank of Egypt and African Export-Import Bank have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a pan-African Gold Bank aimed at formalising gold value chains, strengthening central bank reserves, and reducing Africa's dependence on foreign refining and trading hubs. The initiative will commission a feasibility study for an integrated gold refinery and vaulting facility in Egypt, with plans to engage African governments, central banks, and mining companies across the continent.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Namibia's Ministry of International Relations and Trade, alongside political parties, condemned the United States' military strike against Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, citing violations of international law and national sovereignty. The government reaffirmed solidarity with Venezuela based on shared anti-colonial history, though some opposition figures questioned the framing while still opposing unilateral military intervention.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Amnesty International reported that Ugandan security forces have used torture and arbitrary arrests to intimidate opposition supporters ahead of 15 January elections, with documented cases of beating, pepper-spraying, and tasering; President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his 40-year rule amid fears the government may shut down the internet during voting.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Israel's government has told its Supreme Court that a ban on international media access to Gaza should remain in place due to security risks, responding to a 2024 petition by the Foreign Press Association seeking unrestricted access for foreign journalists. The government argues that journalists should not be permitted to enter without military escort, citing ongoing security concerns despite a ceasefire that took effect in October.
6 January 2026 · New Era →
Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro faced his first US court appearance days after being seized in a shock US military operation in Caracas. Trump said the US "needs total access" to Venezuela's oil, while interim leader Delcy Rodriguez offered to cooperate with Washington, though some opposition figures said the move fell short without political prisoner releases and recognition of the 2024 election results.
6 January 2026 · New Era →