A few weeks ago, I found myself revisiting a question I'd been putting off for some time: does it still make financial sense for me to own a car?
That question sent me down a rabbit hole of comparing electric vehicles, running the numbers, and taking an honest look at my actual driving habits. The conclusion surprised me: apart from the school run and the occasional trip to friends, my car spent most of its life standing still. It had become little more than a very expensive driveway ornament. Insurance, maintenance, fuel, and depreciation costs kept rolling in regardless of whether the vehicle moved or not.
So I sold it and started using Yango.
It’s been an interesting experiment. Most of the time it works exceptionally well. But when rush hour arrives, or month-end demand kicks in, you’re quickly reminded that transport costs don’t exist in a vacuum. They are affected by the same economic forces that affect everything else.
Even though I no longer pay directly at the pump, fuel prices still govern my ride-hailing fares, my commuting expenses, and my overall monthly budget.
If you've been watching developments in South Africa recently, the headlines are enough to make any commuter nervous. Analysts and industry observers have been warning about significant fuel price pressure as global oil markets remain volatile and currencies across emerging markets come under strain. Because Namibia and South Africa are so closely linked economically, many consumers automatically assume that whatever happens there will happen here.
That’s only partly true.
We share the same global challenges. Oil is traded in US dollars, and the Namibia dollar remains pegged to the rand. When the US dollar strengthens or crude oil prices rise, importing fuel becomes more expensive for both countries. What differs is how those costs are managed locally.
Last week, the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy announced a N1.50 per litre increase in the price of Petrol 95, taking the Walvis Bay price to N26.58 per litre. Diesel prices, however, were left unchanged at N27.86 per litre for Diesel 50ppm and N27.96 per litre for Diesel 10ppm.
On the surface, that distinction might seem like an academic detail to someone taking a Yango across Windhoek, but in reality, it is crucial.
Diesel is the fuel that powers the productive economy. It moves freight across the country, powers agricultural operations, feeds mining equipment, and keeps the logistics networks moving between businesses and consumers. By holding diesel prices steady, the government is effectively trying to stop higher fuel costs from spreading through the entire supply chain.
Petrol motorists are still taking a direct hit. A household filling up a 50-litre tank will pay about N$75 more every time they visit the service station. But that is very different from seeing transport, freight, and grocery costs all spike simultaneously.
That is why I don’t think this month is shaping up to be a full-scale fuel shock for Namibia. A squeeze? Yes. A shock? Not yet.
For most households, the bigger story remains the combined pressure of fuel costs, interest rates, and everyday living expenses. Many consumers are already spending more on debt repayments than they were a year ago. Adding higher petrol costs simply leaves a little less room in the monthly budget.
As consumers, we should also be careful about automatically accepting every price hike that gets blamed on fuel. Because diesel prices remained unchanged this month, businesses that depend heavily on road transport have not experienced a direct increase in their primary fuel cost. That doesn’t mean prices cannot rise for other reasons, but "fuel costs" should not become a convenient blanket explanation for everything.
My journey into electric vehicles started because I was trying to reduce my own transport costs. What it ultimately reminded me is that transport remains one of the most vital expenses in any household budget—whether you're driving a petrol vehicle, considering an EV, taking a Yango, or catching a local taxi.
And right now, that budget deserves a little more attention than usual.
A few weeks ago, I found myself revisiting a question I'd been putting off for some time: does it still make financial sense for me to own a car?
That question sent me down a rabbit hole of comparing electric vehicles, running the numbers, and taking an honest look at my actual driving habits. The conclusion surprised me: apart from the school run and the occasional trip to friends, my car spent most of its life standing still. It had become little more than a very expensive driveway ornament. Insurance, maintenance, fuel, and depreciation costs kept rolling in regardless of whether the vehicle moved or not.
So I sold it and started using Yango.
It’s been an interesting experiment. Most of the time it works exceptionally well. But when rush hour arrives, or month-end demand kicks in, you’re quickly reminded that transport costs don’t exist in a vacuum. They are affected by the same economic forces that affect everything else.
Even though I no longer pay directly at the pump, fuel prices still govern my ride-hailing fares, my commuting expenses, and my overall monthly budget.
If you've been watching developments in South Africa recently, the headlines are enough to make any commuter nervous. Analysts and industry observers have been warning about significant fuel price pressure as global oil markets remain volatile and currencies across emerging markets come under strain. Because Namibia and South Africa are so closely linked economically, many consumers automatically assume that whatever happens there will happen here.
That’s only partly true.
We share the same global challenges. Oil is traded in US dollars, and the Namibia dollar remains pegged to the rand. When the US dollar strengthens or crude oil prices rise, importing fuel becomes more expensive for both countries. What differs is how those costs are managed locally.
Last week, the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy announced a N1.50 per litre increase in the price of Petrol 95, taking the Walvis Bay price to N26.58 per litre. Diesel prices, however, were left unchanged at N27.86 per litre for Diesel 50ppm and N27.96 per litre for Diesel 10ppm.
On the surface, that distinction might seem like an academic detail to someone taking a Yango across Windhoek, but in reality, it is crucial.
Diesel is the fuel that powers the productive economy. It moves freight across the country, powers agricultural operations, feeds mining equipment, and keeps the logistics networks moving between businesses and consumers. By holding diesel prices steady, the government is effectively trying to stop higher fuel costs from spreading through the entire supply chain.
Petrol motorists are still taking a direct hit. A household filling up a 50-litre tank will pay about N$75 more every time they visit the service station. But that is very different from seeing transport, freight, and grocery costs all spike simultaneously.
That is why I don’t think this month is shaping up to be a full-scale fuel shock for Namibia. A squeeze? Yes. A shock? Not yet.
For most households, the bigger story remains the combined pressure of fuel costs, interest rates, and everyday living expenses. Many consumers are already spending more on debt repayments than they were a year ago. Adding higher petrol costs simply leaves a little less room in the monthly budget.
As consumers, we should also be careful about automatically accepting every price hike that gets blamed on fuel. Because diesel prices remained unchanged this month, businesses that depend heavily on road transport have not experienced a direct increase in their primary fuel cost. That doesn’t mean prices cannot rise for other reasons, but "fuel costs" should not become a convenient blanket explanation for everything.
My journey into electric vehicles started because I was trying to reduce my own transport costs. What it ultimately reminded me is that transport remains one of the most vital expenses in any household budget—whether you're driving a petrol vehicle, considering an EV, taking a Yango, or catching a local taxi.
And right now, that budget deserves a little more attention than usual.
