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Monday, 8 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Namibia Wildlife Resorts

Also known as: NWR

State-owned tourism entity managing national parks and wildlife facilities; managing director Margaret Gustavo appointed in May 2026 for two-year turnaround period.

2021-08-192026-06-08
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What’s been said

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

  1. March 2025

  2. The Namibian

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts has called for consultants to undertake a comprehensive audit to assess facility performance

    Source

    “NWR has called for consultants to undertake a "comprehensive audit … to assess the performance of some of our facilities".”

    So What if NWR is Sold?
  3. July 2024

  4. The Namibian

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) donated football equipment to Kaizen Football Academy

    Source

    “Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) donated football equipment to the Kaizen Football Academy in Windhoek on Wednesday.”

    NWR supports Kaizen FA
  5. June 2024

  6. The Namibian

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts must relinquish Shark Island to the National Heritage Council of Namibia

    Source

    “Namibia Wildlife Resorts must relinquish the site to the National Heritage Council of Namibia.”

    Finally, a Public Day to Memorialise Our Genocide Victims
  7. May 2024

  8. The Namibian

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts perennially depends on bailouts while competitors are highly profitable

    Source

    “Few Namibians seem willing to critique why the government's 100% ownership in the likes of Namibia Wildlife Resorts, which has exclusive control of most tourism resorts, is a dismal failure such that NWR perennially depends on bailouts while its competitors are highly profitable.”

    Of State Shareholding in Oil
  9. April 2023

  10. The Namibian

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts criticised Shifeta's decision to award Kandume the Namib Desert deal

    Source

    “Shifeta's decision to award Kandume the deal was criticised by the state-owned Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) and other tourism operators who said such a move would damage the desert, create a monopoly for Kandume's company, and result in job losses.”

    The darling of agriculture tenders
  11. May 2022

  12. The Namibian

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts partnered with ten Namibian content creators and personalities on an influencer deal

    Source

    “Koneka's milestone came when she was selected as one of the ten Namibian content creators and personalities who partnered with Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) on an influencer deal that saw average travel loversvvisiting resorts around the country and documenting their experiences for social media.”

    Living The Dream With Ndapewa
Business

Margaret Gustavo appointed NWR acting managing director for two years

The News

Cabinet has approved the appointment of Margaret Gustavo as acting managing director of Namibia Wildlife Resorts for a two-year period ending April 2028, as government moves to stabilise the state-owned tourism entity. Cabinet has also directed the Ministry to develop a comprehensive turnaround strategy for the parastatal over the next 24 months.

Why it matters

Margaret Gustavo's appointment as NWR acting managing director signals government effort to stabilise struggling state-owned tourism entity with two-year turnaround strategy.

14 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 14 May

  1. Margaret Gustavo appointed NWR acting managing director for two years

    Cabinet has approved the appointment of Margaret Gustavo as acting managing director of Namibia Wildlife Resorts for a two-year period ending April 2028, as government moves to stabilise the state-owned tourism entity. Cabinet has also directed the Ministry to develop a comprehensive turnaround strategy for the parastatal over the next 24 months.

    14 May 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Fish River hiking season opens May 15 after water safety checks

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts announced that the Fish River Hiking Season will officially open on 15 May 2026, following a temporary postponement due to high water levels in the canyon. Recent assessments confirmed water levels have subsided to safe and manageable conditions.

    14 May 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 7 May

  1. Competition Commission scrutinized over conservancy tourism investigation

    The Namibian Competition Commission faces criticism for investigating conservancy tourism partnerships, with the Chamber of Environment calling instead for a probe into Namibia Wildlife Resorts' alleged anti-competitive dominance in national parks. The dispute raises questions about whether competition law is being applied in a way that could undermine the communal conservancy tourism model that supports rural livelihoods and conservation.

    7 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 2 May

  1. NWR postpones Fish River hiking trips to second week of May

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts has postponed all Fish River Canyon hiking activities scheduled to commence on 1 May to the second week of May due to significantly increased water levels and strong river flows caused by recent rainfall. The Naute Dam sluices were opened by NamWater after the dam level exceeded 111% capacity.

    2 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 26 April

  1. Minister orders inquiry into tribal bias at Roads Authority

    Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi ordered an investigation into alleged tribal bias in recruitment at the Roads Authority, finding it employs about 74 people from the Zambezi region compared to more than 300 from northern Namibia. The probe has revived broader allegations of tribalism in hiring practices across Namibian state-owned enterprises and government offices.

    26 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 31 March

  1. New waste facility at Etosha underscores environmental education importance

    The Minister of Environment has inaugurated a Solid Waste Management Facility at Etosha National Park, emphasizing the need for environmental education alongside infrastructure to improve waste management practices. The facility, funded by the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia, addresses poor waste management at wildlife resorts and will be operated by Rent-A-Drum.

    31 March 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 12 March

  1. Aupindi proposes commodity dividends to hedge currency volatility

    Swapo MP Tobie Aupindi has proposed a "Commodity Dividend Model" under which Namibia would receive mining and resource dividends in physical commodities like gold, uranium, and lithium rather than fiat currency, arguing this would protect the country against inflation and currency volatility while building a strategic reserve. Aupindi also called for greater industrialisation, more effective taxation of mineral rents, reform of state-owned enterprises, and a shift from passive SACU reliance toward regional value chains and manufacturing.

    12 March 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 10 March

  1. Arts ministry consults on reviving dormant Namibian music awards

    The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture has invited industry stakeholders to help shape the return of the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs), which have been dormant since MTC withdrew funding in 2020. A stakeholder engagement session is scheduled for 14 March to strengthen the awards' credibility and gather input on award categories, industry development needs, and future direction.

    10 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 6 March

  1. Hai||om Association sues for N$2.8 trillion over Etosha expulsion

    The Hai||om Association, formed in 2024, has filed a lawsuit claiming N$2.8 trillion in compensation for the expulsion of Hai||om San members from Etosha National Park and the Mangetti West farms, alleging German colonial genocide, subsequent human rights violations, and a forced eviction in 1954. The association seeks either ownership of the land, equivalent replacement land, or compensation equal to the estimated market value of the disputed territories.

    6 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 3 March

  1. NTB promotional banners feature wildlife that don't exist in Namibia

    The Namibian Tourism Board used banners depicting a Thompson's Gazelle (which does not occur in Namibia) and an AI-generated elephant at international tourism fairs. The opinion piece awards the NTB, NIPDB, and South African Airways "Mamparra of the Year" for the embarrassing error.

    3 March 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 11 February

  1. Namibia elevates tourism protection unit to national police leadership

    Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo has moved the Tourism Protection Unit from regional to national oversight, expanding it from four to 15 officers and equipping it with resources including vehicles and communication tools to combat crimes against tourists, including theft, fraud and online scams that damage Namibia's reputation as a safe destination.

    11 February 2026 · New Era →

Friday 6 February

  1. Parliament calls for stronger natural resources policies and funding

    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.

    6 February 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 1 February

  1. Namcor faces substandard fuel allegations from Botswana supplier

    Botswana Oil flagged that fuel trucks loaded from Namcor's Walvis Bay terminal in early January failed quality tests for octane rating, raising concerns that substandard fuel may have entered Namibia's retail network and could damage engines. Namcor disputes the allegations, saying the product met specifications at discharge and underwent standard testing procedures.

    1 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 26 January

  1. NBC denies plans to re-interview director general candidates

    The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation has denied allegations that it intends to conduct re-interviews for the director general position, a role vacant since outgoing chief Stanley Similo's contract expired last year. NBC board chairperson Lazarus Jacobs said the recruitment process remains incomplete and that any claims about re-interviews are "speculation, innuendo and rumour mongering."

    26 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 10 January

  1. Namibia Wildlife Resorts pledges facility upgrades and service reforms

    Namibia Wildlife Resorts has acknowledged public complaints about service delivery and facility conditions at Etosha National Park, citing festive season visitor concerns raised on social media and reports of waste management failures. The company says it is implementing unannounced quality audits, phased maintenance upgrades prioritizing high-impact areas, and enhanced staff training through a partnership with NUST to improve guest experience.

    10 January 2026 · Informanté →

Namibia Wildlife Resorts — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute