Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Person

Elon Musk

Also known as: Musk

Elon Musk — founder of xAI and Starlink; his satellite internet application was rejected by Namibia citing foreign ownership and security concerns.

Culture

New podcast from Reggie and Frozen needs stronger direction

The News

A review of the first episode of 'The Black and Yellow Podcast', a new show on One Africa Television hosted by Namibian duo Reggie and Frozen with guest Michael Amushelelo, finds the conversation lacking structure and insight, circling predictably around dating and materialism rather than exploring deeper territory, though technical improvements and clearer direction could strengthen future episodes.

22 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 22 April

  1. New podcast from Reggie and Frozen needs stronger direction

    A review of the first episode of 'The Black and Yellow Podcast', a new show on One Africa Television hosted by Namibian duo Reggie and Frozen with guest Michael Amushelelo, finds the conversation lacking structure and insight, circling predictably around dating and materialism rather than exploring deeper territory, though technical improvements and clearer direction could strengthen future episodes.

    22 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 28 March

  1. Local telecom firms must improve service after Starlink rejection

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia rejected Starlink's application citing ownership, security, and sovereignty concerns. The editorial argues that local telecommunications companies must now deliver better connectivity and affordability, noting that Namibia ranks 143rd globally in internet speed and only 15% of households have fixed internet access.

    28 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 March

  1. Namibia rejects Starlink deal over foreign ownership rules

    Prime Minister Dr. Elijah Ngurare has defended Namibia's rejection of Elon Musk's Starlink proposal, saying Namibian laws must apply equally to all foreign investors regardless of geopolitical ties. The government turned down the 100% foreign-owned venture due to national security concerns, insisting that any company providing services in Namibia must allow local ownership and benefit to Namibians.

    26 March 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 25 March

  1. Starlink rejected over ownership rules, national security concerns

    Namibia's Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus said the rejection of Starlink's application to provide satellite internet services was lawful and based on regulatory requirements, including the mandatory 51% local ownership rule and national security concerns. The minister noted that Starlink's proposed 100% foreign ownership model raised material regulatory considerations regarding jurisdiction and government oversight, and that the company had also operated unlawfully without a licence.

    25 March 2026 · New Era →

  2. Cran declines Starlink licence application in Namibia

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) has rejected Starlink's applications for both a class comprehensive telecommunications service licence and a Spectrum licence for satellite internet services. The decision was published in the Government Gazette, with the authority citing that Starlink has 0% Namibian citizen ownership, and aggrieved parties may petition for reconsideration within 90 days.

    25 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 16 March

  1. Zimbabwean white farmers pursue Trump lobby for land compensation

    Zimbabwean white farmers whose land was seized during Robert Mugabe's rule are seeking help from Donald Trump's administration to recover $3.5 billion in unpaid compensation promised by President Mnangagwa, leveraging the US interest in Zimbabwe's rare-earth mineral deposits and the Trump administration's previous support for white farmers in South Africa. Some farmer groups have hired a Washington lobby firm with Trump administration ties to promote the compensation through US government support for debt relief and international financing, though the farming community remains divided on the strategy and some fear worsening relations between Washington and Harare.

    16 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 13 February

  1. Ramaphosa's 2026 Sona balances competing interests through strategic ambiguity

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's 2026 State of the Nation Address employed careful political calculations to address diverse constituencies—including populists demanding military intervention, ANC loyalists seeking preservation of state ownership, free-marketeers wanting private sector participation, and others—while deliberately omitting topics like the Expropriation Act and farm murders that might alienate coalition partners. The speech also downgraded previous priorities like the Fourth Industrial Revolution in favour of green economy rhetoric, and reduced the urgency around gender-based violence despite its earlier treatment as a national emergency.

    13 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 8 January

  1. German EV sales surge 43% while US market weakens

    Electric vehicle sales in Germany rebounded strongly in 2025, rising 43.2% to over 545,000 vehicles and representing 19.1% of new car sales, with Chinese manufacturer BYD more than tripling its market share. In contrast, US automakers including General Motors, Honda, and Nissan reported declining fourth-quarter sales, with EV transactions falling sharply after a federal tax credit expired in September.

    8 January 2026 · New Era →

  2. Elon Musk's xAI raises US$20 billion for AI development

    Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI announced it has raised US$20 billion in funding, surpassing its initial US$15 billion target, with backing from investors including Nvidia. The funding accelerates development of xAI's Grok AI models, which face international scrutiny over deepfake generation concerns.

    8 January 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 7 January

  1. CRAN expects Starlink licensing decision by end of March

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia expects to announce its decision on Starlink's application to operate in Namibia by the end of Q1 2026. The main issue holding up the application is Namibia's legal requirement that telecommunications licensees have 51% domestic ownership, which Starlink is seeking an exemption from, though public submissions on the application have been largely supportive (1,164 in favour versus 16 opposed).

    7 January 2026 · New Era →

Namibia Minute