Namibia's home affairs ministry is promoting a new electronic ID document with a 10-year expiry date, set for rollout in September. The expiry requirement—unlike the indefinite lifespan of the old ID—is designed to ensure facial recognition accuracy over time, and the e-ID will include security features such as a chip, thumbprint, and PIN.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's home affairs ministry is promoting a new electronic ID document with a 10-year expiry date, set for rollout in September. The expiry requirement—unlike the indefinite lifespan of the old ID—is designed to ensure facial recognition accuracy over time, and the e-ID will include security features such as a chip, thumbprint, and PIN.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The City of Windhoek's Acting Strategic Executive for Finance revealed an annual funding shortfall of approximately N$300 million, with officials noting that Namibia is among few countries where central government does not provide direct financial support to local authorities. Councillors warned that without direct government funding, the City may need to increase tariffs to offset deficits, placing financial burden on residents.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibia Water Corporation has commenced the final stage of rehabilitation of the Kuiseb–Collector 2–Schwarzkuppe–Swakopmund pipeline system in the Erongo Region, with the N$83.9 million project expected to be completed within 12 months. The work, jointly funded by the German Government and Namibian Government, will replace remaining priority sections of the pipeline originally commissioned in 1974.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
Premier Foods announced the closure of its Fruit Products Western Cape business, citing declining global demand, pricing pressure, rising input costs, and U.S. tariffs as reasons. The plant closure could affect 246 permanent employees and up to 2,200 contract and seasonal employees.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Construction has begun on the replacement of the Omdel–Wlotzkasbaken Pipeline in the Erongo Region, with a construction value exceeding N$86 million and completion expected within the next year. The project is jointly funded by KfW Development Bank and the Namibian government through the Water Sector Support Programme Phase 1.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
A report by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board and the International Labour Organization warns that Namibia currently has only about 45% of the skills required to support its emerging oil and gas sector, with major offshore discoveries by Shell, TotalEnergies, and Galp Energia expected to drive first oil production around 2029 or 2030. The report highlights a mismatch between skills produced by local education and training institutions and the specialized competencies demanded by the industry.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (Jogmec) will invest up to C$47.6 million into the Lofdal rare earth development project in the Kunene region, which was launched in 2020 by Jogmec and Canadian mining company Namibia Critical Minerals Inc, and joined by Toyota Tsusho Corporation in March. A definitive feasibility study is planned for this year, with a final decision on commercial viability expected within a year.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute, located on the Kavango River in Kavango East Region, conducts scientific research, fish population monitoring and aquaculture development to ensure sustainable management of Namibia's freshwater resources. The institute, established in 2008 and now part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, focuses on freshwater fish communities, conservation and fisheries ecology to benefit current and future generations.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibian Sun reports on the backgrounds of Johannes Bock (21) and Sara Jonker, two young people from Gochas whose lives were marked by poverty, broken education, and limited opportunity before their circumstances ended in tragedy. Both grew up in challenging conditions—Jonker left school in Grade 6 unable to afford a uniform and took on household duties after her grandmother's death, while Bock attended school for only a month before joining his father in farm work—and both had been drinking on the day their lives changed forever.
1 August 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The National Council's health committee is conducting regional consultations on a motion to investigate hubbly bubbly and other harmful substances amid concerns over their use among school pupils and young people. The committee chairperson cited depression, neglect at home, and peer pressure as main drivers, and noted that substance abuse has contributed to school dropouts.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has admitted that 912 beneficiaries under the Government Employment Redress Programme are not actively employed, out of 2,255 total beneficiaries, following criticism from the Institute for Public Policy Research that the programme has failed to deliver meaningful employment for fisheries workers affected by the Fishrot corruption scandal.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Retired Public Service Commission commissioner Nashilongo Shivute told an African Union meeting in Windhoek that older people should be consulted when governments develop policies, plan communities and design services, and that their knowledge and experience should be incorporated into education and development programmes rather than treating them only as beneficiaries.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Vice President Lucia Witbooi held a high-level meeting with stakeholders in Outjo to discuss the living conditions and future of the Hai-//om San community residing in and around Etosha National Park. It was resolved that a comprehensive Livelihoods Options and Development Plan be developed to address socio-economic challenges confronting the community, with a multidisciplinary technical team to undertake field assessments across designated sites.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
NamWater has dismissed allegations circulating on social media that Swakopmund's tap water is contaminated with Shigella bacteria, stating the water is safe and meets quality standards. The utility said microbiological testing records a pass rate of more than 98% and warned against sharing unverified information.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
Outgoing Miss Namibia Johanna Swartbooi says her reign was defined by service and community impact, including representing Namibia at the Miss Universe competition in Thailand, launching the ||Hapo Initiative focused on youth engagement and creative entrepreneur support, and serving as the face of the Namibian Diamond Board, with plans to continue her advocacy work after stepping down.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Nocturnal Souls, a five-member all-girls band of music students, will make their debut at the College of the Arts auditorium on 7 August, blending jazz and Latino music with soulful covers and marking a groundbreaking moment for women on Namibia's music scene.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Artist Lynette Musukubili presents 'Material Memories', a solo exhibition of crocheted tapestries made from gifted and sourced plastic on display at The Project Room in Windhoek. The works document her daily life in the capital, exploring how memory lives in materials and the mundanity of everyday urban experiences.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Jessica Kurth won the Miss Teen Namibia 2026 title at a pageant in Gobabis on Friday night, with Skyler Viviers as first runner-up and Jacklyn Skrywer as second runner-up. The crown was handed over by outgoing Miss Teen Namibia Chantel Boreen.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Boxer Tryagain Morning Ndevelo defeated defending Commonwealth champion Jude Gallagher in a semi-final to reach the men's 60kg gold medal bout at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, while Mischa Monique Araes and Philip Pumulo Haoseb secured bronze medals, guaranteeing Namibia at least a silver medal overall.
1 August 2026 · Informanté →
The Bank of Namibia officially presented athletics legend Frank Fredericks with a commemorative coin that was minted in his honour in 1996 but had never been handed over until now.
1 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has withdrawn a proposal to allow private investment in the World Cup, which had faced fierce opposition from Uefa, national governments, and continental football bodies. The plan would have sought $4.2 billion from minority investors in Fifa Forward Enterprise while Fifa retained majority control.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
International visitors accounted for 72% of the 994,780 people who visited Namibia's national parks in 2025. Etosha, Namib-Naukluft, and Dorob attracted 85% of all visitation, with Etosha drawing 39% of the total.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has lost the confidence of European football's governing body Uefa after withdrawing his plan to allow private investment in the World Cup, which Uefa had dismissed as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal" and threatened to boycott all Fifa competitions over.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Insurance requires honest, complete disclosure of risk factors at the start; while full disclosure may sometimes increase premiums, it protects policyholders later by avoiding claim denials and reducing back-and-forth during claims processing.
1 August 2026 · The Namibian →