Bank of Namibia Launches DataSphere Platform to Enhance Public Access to Economic Data- ISSUE #68☕

REVOLOX MEDIA | TODAY’S ISSUE

Welcome to Revolox Media — your pulse on Namibia’s economic milestones, global trends, and tech disruptions.

Here’s what’s making headlines:

• The Bank of Namibia goes for gold, announcing plans to purchase from local mines as part of a strategy to diversify and strengthen the nation’s reserves.

• Namibia tops Africa and takes second place globally in the 2025 Greenfield FDI Performance Index, cementing its status as one of the world’s most attractive investment destinations.

• BoN launches its new DataSphere platform, opening public access to economic data and making policy analysis more transparent than ever.

• Meanwhile in Europe, AI adopter stocks take a hit as the arrival of powerful new models shakes the foundations of the industry.

From gold vaults to global rankings, open data to AI disruption — this edition connects the dots between Namibia’s ambitions and the world’s shifting tides.

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BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Bank of Namibia to Acquire Gold from Local Mines, Diversifying National Reserves

The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has announced plans to begin acquiring gold from local producers Navachab and B2Gold, marking a strategic move to diversify and strengthen the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Governor Johannes !Gawaxab outlined the initiative, aiming for gold holdings to represent about 3% of net foreign reserves—aligning Namibia’s practices with global central bank standards.

Gold Acquisition for Long-term Stability

BoN’s approach centres on strategic, long-term stability rather than short-term profit. Governor !Gawaxab emphasized, “The acquisition of gold is strategic and long-term. While some may argue that we are buying at a high point, our focus is on long-term stability and strategic purposes rather than short-term gains.” The gold will be refined to 99.9% purity and stored securely in the central bank’s vaults as official reserves, meeting the strict standards set by the London Bullion Market Association.

Strengthening Local Collaboration and Global Standards

BoN has already held multiple meetings with Navachab and B2Gold management, reinforcing its commitment to local mining partnerships. One key challenge is Namibia’s lack of a domestic gold refinery able to meet the required purity, as local mines currently produce gold at 85%. To address this, the bank is in talks with refineries in South Africa for processing, ensuring international standards are met.

Governor !Gawaxab also noted that the BoN has consulted the Ministry of Industrialisation, Mines and Energy throughout the process, ensuring strong policy alignment and coordination.

The Bottom Line

By building gold reserves sourced from local mines, the Bank of Namibia aims to enhance economic stability, reduce risk, and position Namibia’s official reserves closer to best international practices. The move strengthens the connection between local industry and national financial security, underpinned by long-term goals rather than market timing.

Source: The Brief

Namibia Ranks First in Africa and Second Globally in 2025 Greenfield FDI Performance Index

Namibia has surged to the top of Africa’s rankings and second worldwide in the 2025 Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Performance Index, a remarkable leap from its 11th position last year. The United Arab Emirates retains the global lead, followed by Namibia and Costa Rica.

Diversification Fuels FDI Growth

The report credits Namibia’s success to a diversification beyond traditional mining and oil and gas sectors, with growing foreign investment in sustainable energy and manufacturing. This includes green financing initiatives that support renewable energy, energy-efficient buildings, and environmental conservation projects.

Robust FDI Inflows Supported by Hydrocarbon Discoveries

Over the past four years, Namibia attracted N$114.9 billion in FDI, driven largely by hydrocarbon discoveries in the Orange Basin. The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) report earlier this year noted a temporary FDI dip during 2019–2020 but highlighted a strong rebound since 2021. Net FDI reached N$37 billion in 2024 alone, with private sector projects valued at N$224.7 billion currently in the pipeline.

Key Sectors and International Investors

Mining, tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure remain primary FDI recipients. Notably:

• China invests heavily in uranium mining.

• South Africa focuses on diamond mining and banking.

• Canada channels investments into gold, zinc, and lithium mining.

• Spain and Russia support the fishing industry.

• The UK, Netherlands, and US back oil exploration projects.

• Renewable energy investments include biomass, solar, wind, battery storage, and green hydrogen projects.

Employment and Economic Impact

Foreign-owned enterprises employed around 62,817 people in 2023, up from 55,982 in 2019, and comprised approximately 11.5% of total employment, per the 2023 Labour Force Survey. Key employment growth sectors are wholesale and retail trade, mining and quarrying, and financial services.

The Bottom Line

Namibia’s rise in global FDI rankings underscores its strategic success in attracting and diversifying foreign investment, reinforcing the country’s position as a compelling destination for sustainable and resource-based economic growth.

Source: The Namibian

TECH

Bank of Namibia Launches DataSphere Platform to Enhance Public Access to Economic Data

The Bank of Namibia (BoN) officially launched DataSphere, a free, centralised online platform aimed at improving public access to national macroeconomic and financial statistics. The launch took place during the Monetary Policy Dialogue, commemorating the bank’s 35th anniversary.

BoN Deputy Governor Ebson Uanguta emphasized the platform’s significance for transparent, evidence-based policymaking and decision-making by businesses, investors, and the public. “The absence of relevant economic data reduces macroeconomic policy to mere guesswork, and we do not want to be part of that,” Uanguta said, stressing timely and accessible statistics as essential for accountability and planning.

What DataSphere Offers

DataSphere consolidates diverse official datasets from the central bank, government, the Namibia Statistics Agency, and other sources. It features indicators such as balance of payments, public finances, real sector performance, and monetary statistics. In addition, BoN’s key publications—including the annual report, economic outlook, and financial stability reports—are presented in interactive formats on the platform.

Global Standards and Economic Outlook

Namibia, a subscriber to the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard since December 2022, ranks among only seven African countries meeting the highest global standards for economic data transparency.

BoN Governor Johannes !Gawaxab discussed the national economic outlook at the dialogue, highlighting a projected widening current account deficit in 2025 due to increased primary income outflows, and a decline in inflation to around 3.5% in July from previous levels. The government budget deficit is expected to expand to 4.6% of GDP in 2024/25 before narrowing to 3% by 2027/28.

!Gawaxab outlined fiscal projections, with expected revenue rising by 1.9% to N$92.6 billion, and expenditures growing 4.9% to cover operations, development, externally funded projects, and interest payments.

The Bottom Line

DataSphere represents a significant leap forward in economic data accessibility and transparency for Namibia, enabling stakeholders across sectors to make informed decisions and strengthening the country’s macroeconomic management.

Source: The Namibian

European AI Adopter Stocks Tumble as Powerful New Models Challenge Industry Fundamentals

Shares of leading European companies investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) suffered sharp declines this week, deepening a rout that started in mid-July as advances in cutting-edge AI models raise fresh questions about the future of software and data analytics across the continent.

Major Software Players Hit by AI Disruption Fears

On Tuesday, software giants SAP (Germany) and Dassault Systèmes (France) saw their stocks tumble, highlighting mounting worries that ever-more advanced AI models may disrupt traditional software business models. The declines followed a notable downgrade for U.S. software leader Adobe by Melius Research earlier in the week, further fueling investor anxieties about sector-wide vulnerability.

Other prominent European AI adopters—those integrating AI to enhance products and services—have been hit hard. Shares in London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) have dropped 14.4%, Sage Group (UK) 10.8%, and Capgemini (France) 12.3% since mid-July. These firms had previously enjoyed investor favor as proxies for the AI boom that has powered record highs in U.S. tech stocks, given Europe’s relative scarcity of homegrown AI suppliers.

AI Advances Prompt Market Rethink

The release of OpenAI’s latest GPT-5 model and Anthropic’s specialized Claude for Financial Services last month have challenged investor assumptions about data providers like LSEG, suggesting that new AI solutions could rapidly upend established business cases.

Kunal Kothari of Aviva Investors reflected on the sea change, noting, “Every iteration of GPT or Claude is multiples more capable than the previous generation. The market’s thinking: ‘oh, wait, that challenges this business model’.”

Broader Market Gains Contrast Sector Declines

The decline in AI adopter stocks stands in stark contrast to wider European market gains: since mid-July, London’s FTSE 100 is up 2.5% and the STOXX 600 has gained 0.6%, while U.S. indices have surged—especially those focused on technology.

This divergence has been exacerbated by high valuations among many of these AI adopters; SAP, for example, trades at a price-to-earnings multiple of 45, leaving it particularly exposed to negative sentiment—its share price has dropped 7.2% since mid-July, posting its largest single-day loss since 2020.

Will AI Eat Software?

The turbulence has revived long-standing debates about the future of software in the age of AI. Investor caution prevails for now, with widespread selling placing all software-focused firms into a “challenged basket.” However, many in the market expect more nuanced, systematic winner-loser segregation to emerge as the dust settles and distinctions between AI impact and general software resilience become clearer.

As Steve Wreford, portfolio manager, points out, “Not all software companies are equally exposed.” The coming months will likely see sharper focus on which companies can adapt—and which might be overtaken as AI’s capabilities accelerate.

The Bottom Line

As powerful new AI models reshuffle the European software landscape, investors are bracing for deeper disruption and recalibration. While broader markets remain robust, the sector's long-term winners are likely be those most adept at evolving with technology—rather than being consumed by it.

Source: Reuters

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