Tangeni Amupadhi will step down as editor of The Namibian at the end of January 2026, after nearly 15 years in the role and a total of 20 years at the organisation.
Amupadhi has led the news organisation as editor and managing director of the Free Press of Namibia (Pty) Ltd, which trades as The Namibian. He succeeded founder and veteran journalist Gwen Lister in 2011.
Amupadhi has decided to step back from the daily demands of the fast-paced deadline driven role to prioritise his emotional and physical wellbeing, a decision the board supports.
The move aligns with the organisation’s plans for renewed growth and is an opportunity to strengthen both the news organisation and the Namibia Media Trust (NMT), the group that owns the company.
Amupadhi led the organisation through a period of change, including economic pressures and the Covid-19 pandemic. During his tenure, The Namibian reached a peak daily circulation of about 78 000 copies in 2016, consolidated its position as the country’s leading newspaper, and expanded its digital reach to the largest online audience in the market
He oversaw the newspaper’s transition from a print publication to a multimedia organisation, integrating print, digital and broadcasting operations. This included establishing a dedicated investigative journalism unit, which reported on stories such as the Fishrot scandal.
Amupadhi forged cross-border reporting with media across the continent and worldwide, working on, among others, the Panama Papers, a global project of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed how the wealthy and powerful used offshore companies to hide assets, evade taxes and engage in corruption.
Amupadhi played a key role in helping to broaden the NMT group, which now spans printing, publishing and the media development and advocacy work that promotes press freedom, independent journalism and access to information undertaken by the NMT Media Foundation.
The Namibian’s deputy editor, Shinovene Immanuel, will serve as interim editor. Wolfram Jauss, the managing director of NMT’s printing business, WordPress, takes charge of the group’s commercial operations as the interim chief executive officer.
CHAIRPERSON OF THE FREE PRESS OF NAMIBIA BOARD, ULLA VON HOLTZ, SAID:
“Tangeni’s leadership of The Namibian took place during periods of significant economic transition and volatility. In 2014, he was instrumental in founding the printing facility, WordPress. Initially, printing the newspaper and later moving into broader commercial printing works.
Over time, and particularly in 2020 when Covid-19 disrupted both the Namibian economy and media consumption, Tangeni advocated for broadening audience platforms from hard copy newspapers into something much wider. He has consistently adapted and modernised ways of reaching audiences via hard copy, radio and digital platforms. Having taken over as only the second editor in The Namibian’s history, he steered The Namibian into a constantly changing world. He has left a solid foundation on which to build a continued and relevant organisation. The Board and the staff extend a thank you to him.”
TANGENI AMUPADHI SAID:
“I have been privileged to serve in this crucial public service role of providing critical information that is indispensable to people’s lives. I could not have asked for anything different. Independent journalism is crucial and must be safeguarded. The Namibian and NMT remain well-positioned to play a crucial role in the country forever,”. .
The NMT Board of Trustees and the Board of the Free Press of Namibia thank Amupadhi for his years of service to journalism and to The Namibian, and wish him well in his future endeavours
About: The Free Press of Namibia (Pty) Ltd, which trades as The Namibian, is an independent Namibian news organisation owned by the Namibia Media Trust (NMT).*For inquiries, contact: Ulla von Holtz, chairperson of the board of directors, The Free Press of Namibia (Pty) Ltd. Contact Details: ulla@starfish.com.na
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