By: Dwight Links
The International University of Management (IUM) and Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) are partnering to facilitate financial and data analytical skills development for local journalists and interested applicants.
The program, known as the Bloomberg Media Initiative for Africa, and facilitated by the Strathmore Business School, is being localised for Namibian applicants from the media landscape and broader interested parties.
The initiative will run from September 2026 to May 2027.
At the launch event in Windhoek earlier on Thursday, Gloria Tshoopara from NUST described the initiative as one that aims to achieve enhanced skills development.
“We live in an era where information shapes markets, influences governance, affects public confidence, and increasingly determines economic participation,” she explained on the need for data-driven and informed policy making.
“This partnership between the two institutions reflects a deliberate investment in knowledge, institutional partnerships, leadership development, and Africa’s information ecosystems,” Tshoopara said.
According to Tshoopara, this program helps to strengthen the transparency and accountability frameworks of the nation.
“This also aims to support the harnessing and strengthening of knowledge to advance innovations and technology for sustainable development,” she added.
All speakers at the event agreed that the initiative will assist in establishing a more informed and inclusive development ecosystem.
“It’s why financial journalism has now become a strategic skill. As it helps to understand economic issues and contribute to stronger and more inclusive development,” Tshoopara outlined.
Second speaker, Hendrina Udjombala from IUM, described the initiative as one that plays a critical role in making sense of important information.
“This initiative comes at a time when the world requires the ability to understand data derived from complex systems, and financial journalism will help to understand market trends, and the manner in which information is captured,” Udjombala described.
According to her, financial journalism will play a role in developing a country like Namibia with its developmental priorities.
“It’s clear from the initiative’s footprint on the continent that the program will cover economics, data analysis, public policy, and the environment,” she indicated as the key focus points.
Both institutions noted that having industrial experts is important as Namibia is experiencing heightened interest in oil and gas exploration, and the green industrial developments taking place.
Claire Hobbs, head of treasury from Bank Windhoek, noted that the manner in which the machinations or operations of an economy are communicated impacts public confidence.
“[Communication] can impact investment decisions, policy debates, and the ability of citizens to meaningfully participate in the economy. For financial institutions, this matters greatly, as the country has developed a world-class and respected financial sector,” Hobbs explained.
“It is supported by the banks, asset managers, pension funds, and other partners within a strong regulatory environment. That ecosystem not only depends on sound institutions and frameworks, but also on public trust,” she continued to identify the main consumer of both financial services and the information generated.
“That public trust is reinforced when financial and economic information is explained in an accurate, balanced, and context-based manner. When reporting lacks context, misunderstandings can arise,” she emphasized.
Hobbs explains that misunderstandings create the potential for a disconnect to occur on the aim and impact of banking decisions, investment trends, monetary policy, and economic reforms.
According to the program’s observation of African storytelling about financial sectors across the continent, strong financial journalism plays a critical role in helping the public understand rapidly growing economies and their impact on development, civil society, and democracy.
