Fuel price increase Sep. 2018 – National Energy Fund continues to subsidise motorists
The Ministry of Mines and Energy announced a fuel price increase of NAD0.40 per litre for petrol and diesel countrywide on 3 September 2018 with effect of 5 September 2018 midnight. The reason for the price hike is the depreciation of the Namibia dollar against the US dollar. The Namibia dollar depreciated by 6.6% from […]
Private sector credit extension continued to increase in July 2018
The Bank of Namibia has released selected statistical data for July 2018 that cover among others the extension of credit to the private sector (PSCE). Herewith our main findings: Total credit extended to businesses and to individuals amounted to NAD93,409.2 million in July 2018. Overall credit extension grew by 0.3% compared to June 2018 or […]
Embrace technology (and the future)
Latest after the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos / Switzerland in January 2016, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Artificial Intelligence are on the global agenda. It is often accompanied by fears and anxiety about job losses and robots taking over. These fears are certainly exaggerated, but clearly indicate that we need to start […]
Financial analysis of social protection programmes
EAN Research Associate, Klaus Schade, gave a presentation on the financial implications of social protection programmes at the Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare workshop on Social Protection in Swakopmund. The presentation is based on a report prepared for the ministry with financial assistance by the OECD. OECD is going to release the report […]
A single African currency: What it would mean for global currencies? New Era
WINDHOEK – There has been speculations in recent years as to the real reason behind the removal of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi with one of the most popular theories being that he was in the process of establishing a single gold-backed currency for Africa called the Gold Dinar. Many conspiracy theorists are of the opinion that […]
Why is Namibia changing rapidly from a rural to an urban society?
Namibia is changing rapidly, from a society centred very largely on rural livelihoods to one based on urban jobs and homes. The dimensions of the change are substantial, and the questions are many. What drives rural people to towns? Why is cash security becoming more important than food security? Why are small nuclear families replacing […]
Why do so many Namibians have to live in urban shacks?
Namibia had roughly 10,500 urban shacks in 1991. By the end of 2018, there will be about 150,000 of them, with approximately 15,000 shacks being added each year. At that rate of growth, there will be more urban shacks than all formal urban houses and all rural houses by 2025. That is just eight years […]
What is the purpose of property rights?
Two types of property rights govern the land on which most Namibian families live: customary land rights and freehold rights. Customary land rights confirm traditional and/or historical entitlements to occupy the land which occupants may use for residential and crop growing purposes. Commercial uses are not allowed, and the land rights may not be sold. […]
What is the purpose of livestock in Namibia?
It is established fact, indeed dogma, that Namibian livestock are used to produce meat, as well as some milk, skins, eggs, draught power and manure. The animals are farmed for production. They or their products are harvested regularly and sold to earn revenue. This is generally thought to be the true function of all livestock. […]
Capital or revenue: the use of land by wealthy, urban livestock owners
There has been a major change in the distribution and purpose of most Namibian cattle over the last 20 years. Previously, the majority of cattle were on so-called commercial freehold farms where they were used largely to produce beef. Nowadays, most Namibian cattle are in areas we call communal where they are used mainly as […]