Oil & Gas Deal: BP has secured Namibia’s ministerial approval to farm down Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas’s 60% interest in three Walvis Basin licences (PEL 97, 99 and 100), paying N$44m and taking exploration costs, with Eco retaining 25% as seismic work ramps up. Fuel Prices: Petrol rises by N$1.50/litre in October while diesel stays unchanged; the energy ministry cites higher import and shipping costs, weaker Namibia dollar and volatile global markets. Banking & Crypto: Absa becomes Africa’s first bank to offer institutional digital-asset custody in South Africa, targeting a $1.5bn market and eyeing expansion across Africa subject to approvals. Cyber Security: NAM-CSIRT appoints Cornelia Shipindo as executive from 1 October to strengthen national incident response and protection of critical systems. Economy Watch: Namibia’s GDP grew 4.8% year-on-year in Q2 2026, led by services (health, trade, ICT and financial services), while inflation averaged 3.9% on higher transport costs. Maritime & Jobs: Walvis Bay Maritime Week kicks off, with Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi pushing “marine excellence” to translate into skills, businesses and jobs. Governance & Oversight: Auditor-General flags that the Film and Video Development Fund operated in 2024/25 without a signed strategic plan, limiting verification of performance targets. Diplomacy: President Nandi-Ndaitwah commissions Ndiitah Ngipondoka-Robiati as Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative in Geneva, focusing on trade, investment and knowledge transfer.