Also known as: Bipa · Business and Intellectual Property (Bipa) One Stop Centre
Authority that operates a One-Stop Service Centre for business registration and intellectual property services; President visited in May 2026 to assess service delivery and investor responsiveness.
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February 2026
The Namibian
Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa)is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of Namibia's business and intellectual property records through continuous compliance monitoringNamibia's business and intellectual property records
Source
“As the custodian of Namibia's business and intellectual property records, the authority is responsible for safeguarding its integrity through continuous compliance monitoring, stakeholder engagement and awareness initiatives.”
Business and Intellectual Property Authoritycreated as stand-alone agency allowingadoption of more modern mindsets with private-sector management teams
Source
“Some progress has occurred where government created stand-alone agencies outside the restrictive influence of ministries – such as the Namibia Revenue Agency and Business and Intellectual Property Authority – allowing them to adopt more modern mindsets, supported by management teams drawn from the private sector.”
Business and Intellectual Property (Bipa) One Stop Centrewas visited bythe President and Prime Minister
Source
“President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare yesterday made an impromptu visit to the Business and Intellectual Property (Bipa) One Stop Centre to assess their modus operandi first-hand.”
The One Stop Centre at BIPAwas established tobring key investor services together under one roof
Source
“PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah recently paid an impromptu visit to the One Stop Centre at the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) headquarters in Windhoek, which was established to bring key investor services together under one roof.”
Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA)appointedAinna Vilengi Kaundu as chief executive officer for five-year term
Source
“The Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) has appointed Ainna Vilengi Kaundu as its new chief executive officer (CEO) for a five-year term, effective from the beginning of this year.”
Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa)stated that the new intellectual property bill calls forstrengthened cooperation between stakeholders to enforce levies of artists' work
Source
“Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) executive for intellectual property service Ainna Kaundu pointed out that the new intellectual property bill calls for strengthened cooperation between stakeholders to make sure authorities enforce the levies of artists' work.”
Charmaine Gous, a former accountant at Pepe Construction Lodge Builder & Outdoor Decking, appeared in Windhoek Magistrate's Court accused of defrauding the company of N$3.5 million. She is out on bail and the matter has been postponed to 11 August 2026 to allow the State to finalise investigations.
Why it matters
High-profile fraud case of N$3.5m theft from construction company proceeds through courts, highlighting accountability for white-collar crime.
Charmaine Gous, a former accountant at Pepe Construction Lodge Builder & Outdoor Decking, appeared in Windhoek Magistrate's Court accused of defrauding the company of N$3.5 million. She is out on bail and the matter has been postponed to 11 August 2026 to allow the State to finalise investigations.
PIS Security Services has filed a review application at the High Court challenging a N$40 million three-year security contract awarded to Novo Security Services CC in October 2025, alleging that eight active Namibian police officers were falsely presented as employees and managers of Novo in its bid.
Wealth Management Solutions, a Windhoek financial advisory firm, has applied for voluntary liquidation after losing money in foreign exchange trading, with clients fearing millions in losses. The firm collected funds from Namibian investors and pensioners for forex investments and had placed N$17 million with IJG Securities, which says those funds are safe.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah visited the Business and Intellectual Property Authority One-Stop Service Centre to assess operational progress and efforts to improve ease of doing business in Namibia. She expressed satisfaction with progress and emphasised the centre's role in reducing administrative bottlenecks and creating a conducive business environment.
The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) has announced appointments of Diana Katjiuongua as head of strategy and projects (effective 1 April), Matheus Iiyambula as FinTech specialist (effective 1 March), and one other senior official to strengthen its strategy, technology and financial innovation functions.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has been allocated N$417.2 million for the 2026/2027 financial year to advance gender equity, child protection, and women's economic empowerment across Namibia. In the past year, the ministry supported 347 survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking, accommodated 329 street children in boarding schools, and expanded early childhood development enrolment from 110,726 to 126,213 across the country.
Tracey Goagoses, recently appointed as an accounting assistant intern at the Namibian Estate Agent Board, is gaining experience in finance and bookkeeping while pursuing her goal of becoming a chartered accountant.
Namibia has strong policies and youth development programmes, but slow implementation and bureaucratic delays undermine entrepreneurship and economic growth. The author argues for digitisation, clearer timelines, and faster regulatory processes—not deregulation—to match the pace of modern business and unlock economic opportunity.
Namibian artists have called for fair prize structures, better professional support, and financial literacy training as the government consults on reviving the Namibia Annual Music Awards, which were discontinued in 2020. The Arts Directorate is also advancing an updated copyright law to protect musicians and other creatives in the digital age.
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.
Copyright infringement and trademark abuse are widespread in Namibia despite legal protections, with artists replicating songs without permission and businesses using deceptive marks to mislead consumers. The author argues that existing laws are inadequately enforced and that victims lack affordable remedies, leaving them to bear costly legal action.
The Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music has defended its royalty distribution system after a parliament member questioned reports of local musicians earning as little as N$2 per broadcast play. Nascam says the figure is not a fixed rate but is calculated based on total royalties collected from music users and distributed through an automated system, though it acknowledges a need to amend legislation to better address digital platforms and online usage.
Namibian musicians earn as little as N$2 per broadcast play, a rate unchanged since independence, according to MP Frederick Shitana. He called for a national International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) system to help local artists earn from digital platforms and said Namibia's reliance on South Africa for ISRC registration disadvantages creators.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has empowered 1,485 women with entrepreneurial skills through the EntreprenHER programme, funded by UN Women, which provides digital and financial literacy training to support women micro-entrepreneurs. The programme, now in its third phase across Namibia, South Africa and Botswana, has supported over 2,400 women-owned micro-enterprises, with the ministry now exploring partnerships to advance to phase four.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare has empowered 1,485 women in entrepreneurial skills via the EntreprenHER programme, which provides digital and financial literacy training and market access support. The UN-funded initiative, now in phase 3, has supported over 2,400 micro-enterprises across Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana, with the ministry exploring partnerships for further expansion.
An unfinished N$4.5 million house in Windhoek owned by Fishrot-accused Tamson Hatuikulipi is falling into disrepair, with structural damage and stolen materials, while court-appointed curators consider how to preserve the property's value under a 2020 asset restraint order related to the corruption case.
Namibia has met all requirements to exit the Financial Action Task Force greylist following a plenary meeting in February, with the FATF accepting that the country has remedied all 13 deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework. An on-site assessment is scheduled for April, with results to be presented at the June FATF meeting.
The Namibian Corporate Governance Framework requires registered businesses to maintain continuous compliance including beneficial ownership declarations and annual financial submissions, yet only 45% of the 242,417 active entities on the business register meet these obligations as of 3Q2025/26. Low compliance levels pose risks to Namibia's reputation internationally and may expose the country to enhanced Financial Action Task Force monitoring for failing to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
Namibia's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has recommended stronger policies, funding, and inter-ministerial collaboration to unlock the country's resource potential and align sector strategies with national development priorities including Vision 2030. The mining sector contributed 13.3% to GDP in 2024, while the government received N$7.32 billion in mining revenue, but challenges persist in land reform, energy, and conservation funding.
The Central Elite Social Volleyball League, a nonprofit social volleyball league rooted in community responsibility, will officially launch on 14 February with first matches beginning 21 February and running through November. The league, a collaborative effort among government and educational institutions, aims to strengthen social bonds, promote wellness, and support Katutura State Hospital through CSR activities.
An opinion piece argues that appointing bureaucrats to manage state-owned enterprises has led to inefficiency and taxpayer bailouts across Africa and Namibia, and that public enterprises perform better when led by individuals with business-oriented mindsets rather than public servants focused on policy delivery.
The Former Refugees Repatriation Association Namibia has apologised after its members allegedly verbally abused and obstructed NBC journalists at Swapo headquarters in Windhoek last week. Association president Matheus Nangolo said the actions were those of individuals acting in their personal capacity and do not reflect the organisation's values.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has instructed officials at the Business and Intellectual Property Authority's One Stop Centre to speed up their responses to investors, warning that delays are driving business away from Namibia and that decisions should take days, not weeks. She stressed that investors must be treated as "special partners" with red-carpet treatment and that the country's increasingly difficult business reputation must be urgently addressed.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare visited the Business and Intellectual Property One Stop Centre to assess operations, with the President calling on officials to treat investors as key development partners and provide fast, transparent services to support economic growth and job creation.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah made an impromptu visit to the BIPA One Stop Centre, which was established to streamline investor services under one roof, and called on the centre to operate on principles of efficiency, professionalism and ethical service delivery to improve Namibia's investment climate.
The Business and Intellectual Property Authority has appointed Ainna Kaundu as chief executive effective January for five years. Kaundu, a legal practitioner with 18 years of experience, previously served as executive of intellectual property services and acting chief executive at Bipa.
The Business and Intellectual Property Authority has appointed Kaundu as chief executive officer effective from the start of this year. She previously served as acting CEO and as executive of intellectual property services, and holds leadership positions in international intellectual property organisations.
An analysis identifies 13 issues that could shape Namibia's investment future in 2026, including rebuilding investor confidence, streamlining regulations, reforming tax enforcement, modernizing business registration, and improving trade and digital infrastructure. The piece argues that Namibia must convert its natural resources and political stability into measurable economic performance and offer a clearer reason for foreign investors to choose it over regional competitors.