Also known as: Standard Bank Namibia · Standard Bank Group · The Standard Bank of Namibia Limited · Standard Bank South Africa · SBSA · Standard Bank SA
Namibian-based commercial bank facing fraud allegations and receiving accumulate rating from banking sector analysts in 2026.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
New Era
Standard Bank contributed N$150 000 to the trust fund
“More than N$700 000 was pledged during the gala dinner, with Standard Bank and MTC each contributing N$150 000 to the trust fund.”
Lüderitz Crayfish Festival boosts local economyNew Era
Standard Bank Namibia departed as NHRA sponsor
“Currently, Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) is the only NHRA sponsor following the departures of FNB Namibia, Standard Bank Namibia, and Debmarine, which previously invested in the sport.”
Sponsorship drought at horse racing sport – MootuThe Namibian
Standard Bank initiated the Development Programme in partnership with School of Excellence Hockey Club
“He is also in charge of the Standard Bank Development Programme that was initated a few years ago in partnership with SoEHC, and says the programme is now starting to deliver results.”
Handura building a new legacy at Ella du PlessisNew Era
Standard Bank Namibia hosted the Annual Budget Dialogue 2026 in Windhoek
“Standard Bank Namibia on Wednesday hosted the Annual Budget Dialogue 2026 in Windhoek, bringing together leaders from government, finance and industry to discuss the direction of the country's national budget.”
Budget dialogue calls for discipline, partnershipInformanté
Standard Bank Namibia employed economist Helena Mboti
“According to an economist from Standard Bank Namibia, Helena Mboti, the moderation was largely driven by weaker business credit growth, which declined by 1.0 percentage point (ppt) to 3.8% in January 2026 compared to the previous month, alongside still-sluggish (albeit marginally improving) household credit, which edged up 0.3 ppt to 5.8% during the same period.”
Credit extended to private sector slows in January 2026The Namibian
Standard Bank has invested in the Blue Growth Series as a strategic national intervention for women entrepreneurs
“This surge reflects extraordinary ambition, even as women continue to face systemic barriers. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, women remain 47% more likely than men to close a business due to family or personal pressures. They also continue to face challenges accessing finance and formal market networks. These realities mirror the experiences of many Namibian entrepreneurs, which is why the Standard Bank Blue Growth Series has become a strategic national intervention rather than a routine training programme.”
Standard Bank Invests in Women for Economic GrowthThe Namibian
Standard Bank continues to invest in platforms strengthening bankability and financial confidence among women entrepreneurs
“These structural inequities underscore why Standard Bank continues to invest in platforms that strengthen bankability and financial confidence among women entrepreneurs.”
Standard Bank Invests in Women for Economic GrowthNew Era
Standard Bank Namibia has been named Best Trade Finance Provider in Namibia in 2026 Global Finance Awards
“Standard Bank Namibia has been named the Best Trade Finance Provider in Namibia in the 2026 Global Finance Best Trade Finance Providers Awards, reinforcing the bank's role as a leading enabler of cross-border commerce, investment flows, and sector expansion.”
Standard Bank named best trade finance provider in NamibiaNew Era
Standard Bank Namibia appointed Rejoice Itembu as operations executive
“Rejoice Itembu has taken up the role of operations executive at Standard Bank Namibia, effective 1 March 2026.”
Itembu appointed Standard Bank’s operations executiveThe Namibian
Standard Bank Namibia has been named best trade finance provider in Namibia in 2026 Global Finance Best Trade Finance Providers Awards
“Standard Bank Namibia has been named the best trade finance provider in Namibia in the 2026 Global Finance Best Trade Finance Providers Awards.”
Standard Bank best trade finance provider in NamibiaDJ Sbu and Sheldon Tatchell, South African entrepreneurs, will be guest speakers at the 2026 Business Summit Namibia in Windhoek on 25 July. The summit, one of Namibia's leading entrepreneurship and networking platforms, is expected to attract approximately 1,000 attendees.
6 June 2026 · The Namibian →
DJ Sbu and Sheldon Tatchell, South African entrepreneurs, will be guest speakers at the 2026 Business Summit Namibia in Windhoek on 25 July. The summit, one of Namibia's leading entrepreneurship and networking platforms, is expected to attract approximately 1,000 attendees.
6 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's banking sector continues to draw investors, though earnings quality differences among listed banks are now structural rather than cyclical, according to Simonis Storm's Banking Report 2026. FirstRand Namibia is identified as the preferred banking stock, while Standard Bank Namibia received an accumulate rating and Capricorn Group a reduce rating pending improvements in key indicators.
3 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Windhoek's rollout of a cashless parking system requiring KPI-issued or bank cards has caused confusion and frustration among motorists, many of whom lack access to these payment methods. The article argues that rapid digital transitions without adequate consultation disproportionately affect those outside the formal banking system.
31 May 2026 · The Namibian →
A Windhoek High Court judge has authorised the deputy sheriff to sell Hodago Fishing's vessel Venus 1 through public auction after the financially troubled company failed to repay Standard Bank Namibia N$36 million in loan and facility agreements. Gendev Fishing Resources, in which the Swapo-owned company Guinas Investments holds 96.5%, has 45% shareholding in Hodago Fishing.
25 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Standard Bank says fraud affecting its clients is a widespread global issue and that each incident is evaluated individually. The bank states it offers discretionary goodwill payments to support affected customers but says these are not admissions of liability, and that confidentiality clauses in settlements are standard practice to protect privacy and ongoing investigations.
19 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's four largest commercial banks saw loan impairments surge from N$230 million in June 2015 to a peak of N$1.5 billion in December 2020 before gradually stabilising. Impairments have since eased, declining to N$640 million by 2022 and settling at N$760 million by year-end 2024.
19 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
An investigation by IOL has uncovered a pattern of fraud affecting customers in South Africa and Namibia, with combined losses exceeding R3 million. The bank has been accused of blaming clients for unauthorized crimes, conducting opaque investigations, and offering settlements that require victims to accept silence.
17 May 2026 · The Namibian →
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 →
Namibia Revenue Agency (Namra) has begun moving customs and excise offices to a newly established One-Stop centre on Reger Street in the Southern Industrial area. Currently, only limited services including motor vehicle clearance certificates and booking of physical inspections are available, while payments and other services remain at the Eros Airport office during the transition.
13 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Chamber of Mines of Namibia has appointed geologist and investment banking professional Fabian Shaanika as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 May 2026, succeeding retired CEO Veston Malango who led the organization for two decades. Shaanika brings nearly 20 years of mining sector experience across exploration, project development, financing, and production, including recent roles at Kelp Blue and senior positions at Rand Merchant Bank and Standard Bank Namibia.
9 May 2026 · Informanté →
Standard Bank Namibia has appointed Deloitte & Touche Namibia as its independent external auditor, replacing PricewaterhouseCoopers Namibia with effect from 29 April 2026, in compliance with Bank of Namibia's BID-10 regulation requiring external auditor rotation every 10 years.
8 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Mobile Telecommunications Limited is calling on companies and institutions to create more internship opportunities for young Namibians through the Namibia National Internship Programme, which was launched in 2019 to help graduates enter the job market. MTC contributes N$2 million annually to the programme, which placed 332 interns in 2025 across more than 40 fields.
7 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Fabian Shaanika, former managing director of Kelp Blue, has been appointed chief executive officer of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, effective 1 May 2026. He brings experience from mining and resources roles at Namdeb, Vedanta's Skorpion Zinc Mine, Debmarine Namibia, and Rand Merchant Bank Namibia.
6 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Chamber of Mines of Namibia has appointed Fabian Shaanika, formerly managing director of kelp farming company Kelp Blue, as its new chief executive effective 1 May. Shaanika, a registered geologist with MBA and experience at Rand Merchant Bank, Standard Bank, Namdeb, Skorpion Zinc Mine and Debmarine Namibia, replaces Veston Malango, who retires after 20 years leading the chamber.
6 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Recent oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin, with an over 80% exploration success rate, position Namibia to avoid reliance on imported fuel and build local refining capacity—a lesson highlighted by recent fuel price shocks tied to Middle Eastern conflicts.
5 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Government Institutions Pension Fund paid its board of trustees chairperson Penda Ithindi N$114,000 for attending three meetings in two months, and Napwu general secretary Petrus Nevonga N$92,163 during the same period, according to payroll records reviewed by The Namibian. The payments have revived concerns that clustered board and sub-committee meetings have become a parallel income stream for trustees already drawing civil service or union salaries.
4 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Anti-migrant marches led by activists Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Zandile Ndlovu are staging increasingly bold demonstrations across South African cities with little resistance from authorities. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the surge in threats and violence as South Africa faces pressure to intervene.
30 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia Special Olympics president Charles Nyambe praised a recent Windhoek marathon that featured 533 athletes with intellectual disabilities competing in 2-kilometre, 5-kilometre, and 10-kilometre races and walks, alongside 1,300 public participants in a 21-kilometre race to raise awareness and funds. Nyambe said the event aimed to break barriers, foster understanding, and dispel myths about intellectual disabilities while highlighting the achievements of participants.
24 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Blue Waters FC will play Unam FC in a 2026 Standard Bank Top 8 Cup quarter-final on 2 or 3 May at Swakopmund, with the Walvis Bay club citing home advantage as motivation. Quarter-final draws also pit FC Ongos against KK Palace, African Stars against Eleven Arrows, and Mighty Gunners against Eeshoke Chula Chula.
23 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Green Metals Refining has appointed seasoned mining and banking executive Fabian Shaanika to the board of its Namibian subsidiary Kudu Chemicals, which is developing a sulphuric acid plant at Walvis Bay for battery-grade manganese chemical production.
19 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Lüderitz Crayfish Festival will run from 28 April to 3 May 2026 under the theme "Crayfish & Currents: Where Heritage Meets Innovation," blending the town's maritime traditions with its emerging status as an energy hub. The event will feature seafood, entertainment including musical performances and a beauty pageant, motor sports, and business networking opportunities.
17 April 2026 · New Era →
Namibian commercial banks have no policies to refund defrauded clients, even as the Bank of Namibia reports losses of over N$6 million monthly to fraud. Banks claim liability rests with customers who authorize transactions under deception, while victims say they have been denied compensation; international regulators in the UK and EU are moving to mandate refunds to fraud victims.
16 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Standard Bank Namibia Top 8 Cup, Namibia's domestic football competition, was officially launched in Windhoek after a six-year absence since 2019. The 2026 tournament will feature the eight best-performing teams from the Namibia Premier Football League, with a total prize pool of N$2.5 million and the winner receiving N$600,000.
10 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Standard Bank Namibia has relaunched the Top 8 Cup, a tournament for the top eight teams in the Namibia Premier Football League, with N$2.5 million in sponsorship. The competition, last held in 2019, will feature matches across Windhoek, Swakopmund, and Oshakati, with the champion receiving N$600,000.
9 April 2026 · New Era →
A former Standard Bank Namibia employee has been arrested and charged with 12 counts of fraud for allegedly transferring N$4 million from clients' accounts to her own between April and August 2024. She is being held in custody pending further investigations and a court appearance on 18 May.
9 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Standard Bank Namibia has pledged N$150,000 to the 2026 Lüderitz Crayfish Festival, scheduled for 28 April to 3 May under the theme "Harvesting Sustainability, Empowering Communities." The bank's sponsorship is part of its commitment to supporting local economic growth and community-driven projects that benefit small businesses and tourism in the coastal town.
8 April 2026 · New Era →
Standard Bank Namibia launched the Top 8 Cup in Windhoek, a competition for the top eight teams of the Namibia Premier Football League at the end of the 2025/2026 season. The agreement was signed by Standard Bank CEO Erwin Tjipuka and Namibia Football Association vice president Jakobus Markus.
8 April 2026 · New Era →
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March caused global crude oil prices to surge 54%, pushing Namibian petrol prices up N$2.50 per litre and diesel up N$4 per litre, compressing real incomes and increasing production costs across transport, agriculture and tourism sectors.
4 April 2026 · The Namibian →
A former Standard Bank Namibia employee has been charged with 12 counts of fraud after allegedly withdrawing N$4 million from client accounts between April and August 2024. The Windhoek Magistrate's Court denied bail and postponed the case to 18 May for further investigations.
2 April 2026 · The Namibian →
While fraud victims and observers commonly suspect insider involvement and banks insist their systems prevent employee fraud, recent court cases — including convictions of an FNB consultant and arrest of a Nedbank forensic investigator — show employees have successfully exploited their access to defraud customers.
1 April 2026 · The Namibian →