Windhoek: The Namibian Competition Commission has approved 13 mergers, including deals involving Pep Stores and OK Furniture, to protect competition and ensure businesses follow fair market rules. In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said it met on 08 May 2025 to consider and approve the mergers.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the commission's investigation found that the proposed mergers would strengthen a dominant position. To protect public interest, the commission approved them with conditions. One of the approved mergers involves JD Financial Services buying OK Furniture and its customer credit accounts from OK Bazaars. Another involves Pep Stores Namibia buying Big Daddy Clothing, a family-owned business with 24 stores across Namibia.

The commission has attached several conditions to these approvals, including a commitment to prevent job losses directly resulting from the mergers, a prohibition on forcing consumers to purchase specific products as a bundle, and the provision of support for small-scale suppliers. Other approved mergers include Groupe Canal+ acquiring shares in MultiChoice Group, Ohlthaver and List investing in a solar energy company, and deals in the fishing, timber, and petroleum sectors.

The statement further underscored that reviewing mergers helps protect consumers from price increases and poor service. 'Merger assessments aim to ensure that merging firms will not have the ability to raise prices or reduce quality,' it noted. The commission reminded businesses to always check with them before merging to avoid breaking the law. 'If stakeholders are not sure whether a transaction is notifiable or not, we encourage them to seek an advisory opinion before they go ahead,' it stressed.