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Friday, 21 August 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Friday, 21 August 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Almandro Jansen

Also known as: economist Almandro Jansen

Almandro Jansen — economist quoted on Namibia's government debt, cash-flow challenges, and economic transformation potential.

2025-04-092026-08-21
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. January 2026

  2. The Namibian

    Jansen said mortgage activity remained largely confined to higher-income borrowers mortgage activity remained largely confined to higher-income borrowers

    Source

    “Jansen says mortgage activity remained largely confined to higher-income borrowers, while affordability constraints continued to exclude much of the lower- and middle-income segment from the property market.”

    Namibia’s household credit conditions remain tight

  3. The Namibian

    Jansen said households are prioritising vehicle and equipment purchases over property investment vehicle and equipment purchases over property investment due to lower upfront costs

    Source

    “"Households are prioritising vehicle and equipment purchases over property investment due to lower upfront costs and the greater flexibility of installment-based lending," Jansen says.”

    Namibia’s household credit conditions remain tight
  4. November 2025

  5. The Namibian

    Almandro Jansen urged greater support for small businesses and tax reforms to enable job creation

    Source

    “He urged for greater support for small businesses, tax reforms to enable job creation and the implementation of existing employment policies that have yet to be acted upon.”

    Calls for collaborative solutions on youth unemployment crisis
  6. April 2025

  7. The Namibian

    Almandro Jansen says this contributed to slight moderation in private sector credit extension to 3.9% y/y

    Source

    “Simonis Storm Securities' Almandro Jansen says this contributed to a slight moderation in private sector credit extension to 3.9% y/y (from 4.1% in January) – still stronger than last year's 1.7%.”

    Household borrowing relaxesat N$68.4 billion

  8. The Namibian

    Almandro Jansen says continued stagnation reflects weak consumer confidence and tighter affordability

    Source

    “"Continued stagnation reflects weak consumer confidence and tighter affordability," Jansen says.”

    Household borrowing relaxesat N$68.4 billion
Mining & Energy

Government assures oil and gas investors of policy certainty

The News

At the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse reassured investors that policy uncertainty will not derail Namibia's most advanced offshore oil projects, citing institutional, policy, and fiscal certainty. The move of upstream petroleum control from the energy ministry to the Office of the Presidency is a deliberate realignment to protect the sector, Amutse said, while a new local content policy approved this month provides investors with clear expectations.

12 hours ago · The Namibian →

Yesterday

  1. Government assures oil and gas investors of policy certainty

    At the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse reassured investors that policy uncertainty will not derail Namibia's most advanced offshore oil projects, citing institutional, policy, and fiscal certainty. The move of upstream petroleum control from the energy ministry to the Office of the Presidency is a deliberate realignment to protect the sector, Amutse said, while a new local content policy approved this month provides investors with clear expectations.

    12 hours ago · The Namibian →

Tuesday 11 August

  1. Namibia develops rail corridors to strengthen regional logistics hub status

    Namibia is advancing rail infrastructure development, including the operational Walvis Bay-Karibib freight corridor launched in July 2026 targeting 25,000 tonnes monthly, and the proposed Trans-Kalahari Railway linking Walvis Bay to Windhoek, Gaborone and Johannesburg, to compete for Southern African freight volumes and secure Port of Walvis Bay traffic amid regional competition.

    11 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 27 July

  1. Rising cost of living outpaces salary growth for Namibians

    Namibians report that expenses are rising faster than wages, forcing many to rely on side hustles and cash loans to survive. The squeeze is intensifying as electricity and municipal tariffs increase while workers' salaries remain stagnant.

    27 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 16 July

  1. Windhoek commuters frustrated by worsening traffic congestion

    Road users in Windhoek report spending hours on the road during peak periods, with journey times significantly longer than before. An Elisenheim resident cited a morning trip that now takes 45 minutes to over an hour, compared to 30 minutes previously, and identified a bottleneck near the B1 and Namibia Breweries turnoff where traffic lights have not been functioning.

    16 July 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Namibia's building sector shows recovery in first half of 2026

    Namibia's building sector improved in the first half of 2026, with June delivering broad-based gains in approval volumes and values despite elevated borrowing costs and household affordability constraints. In Windhoek, June approvals rose 24.7% year-on-year to 197 plans, with the value of approved plans surging 50.7% year-on-year to N$197.8 million.

    16 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Sunday 12 July

  1. Windhoek firm loses pensioners' N$250 to N$350 million

    Wealth Management Solutions, a Windhoek financial advisory firm, has lost at least N$250 million belonging to pensioners and families through risky foreign investments; the owner allegedly paid out clients from other people's accounts to hide losses, and a liquidator estimates total losses could reach N$350 million.

    12 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 29 June

  1. Mining weakness poses risk despite Q1 2026 GDP stabilization

    Namibia's economy showed 2% year-on-year GDP growth in the first quarter of 2026, stabilizing after near-stagnation in late 2025, but persistent weakness in mining—particularly a 12.2% contraction in the sector, with diamond production down 18.6% and base metals down 31.2%—remains a key downside risk for 2026 growth prospects, according to Simonis Storm Securities.

    29 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 25 June

  1. Four NYC board members leave as terms end June

    Four members of the National Youth Council board, including interim executive chairperson Patience Masua, have left office after their initial terms concluded on 30 June. Four other board members remain, while the council's leadership transition remains uncertain following the postponement of a general assembly in Swakopmund.

    25 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 3 June

  1. Government debt to local banks reaches N$52.4 billion

    The Namibian government's debt to local banks climbed to N$52.4 billion in April after a N$20.4 billion increase over the past year, with borrowing from the banking sector surging 63.6% and raising concerns about future inflationary pressures, according to economist Almandro Jansen.

    3 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Namibia's inflation surges to 3.1%, reshaping real interest rates

    Headline inflation jumped to 3.1% in April from 2.1% in March, primarily driven by transport costs reflecting currency depreciation and higher global fuel prices. With the repo rate held at 6.50%, real interest rates have fallen, supporting credit demand but eroding household purchasing power.

    3 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 15 May

  1. Namibia's debt increasingly a cash-flow challenge, economist warns

    Economist Almandro Jansen warns that Namibia's debt situation is becoming a cash-flow and refinancing challenge as government relies on continuous domestic borrowing, with a total financing requirement of approximately N$29.22 billion (10.2% of GDP) for 2026/27, though the country remains capable of funding itself.

    15 May 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 7 May

  1. Private sector credit growth slows to 4.3%, household lending strengthens

    Namibia's private sector credit growth eased to 4.3% in March 2026 from 4.7% in February, with total credit at N$123.3 billion. Household borrowing gained momentum to 4.1% year-on-year—its highest in the current cycle—driven by stronger mortgage lending, instalment credit, and overdrafts, while corporate lending showed seasonal fluctuations.

    7 May 2026 · Informanté →

Sunday 3 May

  1. Namibia could follow Singapore path with institutional discipline

    Economist Almandro Jansen argues that Namibia's emerging oil, gas and mineral wealth could drive long-term economic transformation or deepen structural challenges depending on governance and institutional reform. Singapore transformed from a low-income economy (US$500 GDP per capita in 1965) into a high-income hub (exceeding US$100,000 by 2025), while Namibia has reached upper-middle-income status with roughly US$5,000 GNI per capita but remains constrained by high unemployment, limited diversification, and rising fiscal pressures.

    3 May 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 21 April

  1. Japan leads Namibia vehicle sales in March with 1,069 units

    Namibia sold 1,069 Japanese vehicles in March, making Japan the country's largest vehicle source and driving total March sales to 1,662 units—a 43% monthly increase and the strongest March performance since 2015. Japanese brands accounted for 64.3% of total sales, with commercial vehicle purchases surging 57.1% to a record 916 units, supported by demand from logistics, mining, agriculture, and energy sectors.

    21 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 16 March

  1. Namibia must strengthen governance before oil revenue flows

    The Institute for Public Policy Research warns that Namibia faces governance risks as it prepares for oil production, citing lack of transparency in petroleum licensing, insufficient beneficial ownership disclosure, and weak local content oversight as key areas needing reform before the expected investment decisions from TotalEnergies and Mopane projects. Addressing these challenges through the Access to Information Act and digital transparency could help Namibia avoid the "resource curse" while ensuring oil revenues benefit communities rather than political elites.

    16 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 4 March

  1. 2026/27 budget stabilises debt amid growth constraints and revenue pressure

    An economist from Simonis Storm Securities says Namibia's 2026/27 budget represents a stabilisation framework under financial constraint, with GDP growth revised to 3.1% and projected to recover only modestly. The budget reveals structural vulnerabilities: revenue remains heavily exposed to SACU volatility and commodity cycles, public debt is projected to stabilise at an elevated 67.5% of GDP, and interest payments will consume nearly 18% of total revenue, crowding out fiscal space for other priorities.

    4 March 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 3 March

  1. N$104 billion budget tilts toward wages and interest over growth

    Namibia's FY2026/27 budget allocates N$81.3 billion to operational spending but cuts capital expenditure to N$8.47 billion, prompting analysts to warn that low investment in infrastructure risks slower economic growth while debt servicing consumes 18% of projected revenue.

    3 March 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 13 January

  1. Namibian inflation eases to 3.2%, expected to rise slightly in 2026

    Namibia's headline inflation fell to 3.2% in December 2025 and averaged 3.5% for the year, remaining within the central bank's target range. According to financial services firm Simonis Storm, inflation is expected to tick slightly higher in 2026, averaging 3.6%–3.8%, driven mainly by structural and service-related factors rather than broad-based demand, with housing and utilities remaining the primary pressure points.

    13 January 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 7 January

  1. Namibia's household credit remains weak despite lower interest rates

    Namibia's household credit growth slowed to 2.5% year-on-year in November 2025, with weak mortgage demand and continued borrowing caution driven by high living costs and modest wage growth. Households are shifting towards essential and asset-backed borrowing, particularly vehicle financing, while mortgage lending stagnated at 0% growth due to affordability constraints and limited affordable housing stock.

    7 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Almandro Jansen — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute