Old Mutual Investment Group Namibia has launched the Worldwide Equity Unit Trust Fund, a new investment product offering exposure to global markets through a portfolio that tracks the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI).
The index, which serves as the fund’s benchmark, includes more than 2,500 listed companies across 47 countries, covering both developed and emerging markets. While the fund does not hold every constituent, it aims to mirror the index’s overall performance profile.
The MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI), includes large- and mid-cap companies from 23 developed and 24 emerging markets.
According to Martin Schurz, Portfolio Manager at Old Mutual the fund is designed to reduce concentration risk by giving investors access to a wide range of sectors and currencies beyond the Namibian and South African markets.
The MSCI ACWI covers approximately 85% of the global investable equity universe.
“The MSCI ACWI provides exposure to major global economies including the US, Japan, the UK, China and Canada, making it an effective diversification tool for Namibian investors,†said Schurz.
He noted that Namibia’s local investment landscape remains limited, with only 12 companies listed on the Namibian Stock Exchange which are heavily concentrated in financials and telecommunications, exposing investors to single-country risk.
“The NSX Local Index includes a small number of companies and lacks sectoral depth. Investors are primarily exposed to domestic financial performance, which increases vulnerability to local market shifts,†Schurz said.
By contrast, the global fund includes exposure to companies like NVIDIA, Microsoft and Apple, each with market capitalisations above US$3 trillion. The top 10 holdings in the MSCI ACWI alone account for nearly US$186 billion.
“Global diversification brings the benefit of multi-currency exposure, access to high-growth industries such as technology and healthcare, and mitigates the risks associated with investing in a single market,†Schurz said.
Old Mutual says the fund is aimed at long-term investors seeking international growth opportunities that complement their local portfolios with an investment minimum of N$100.
Rex Mutelo, Head of Business Development, Old Mutual Investment Group, Old Mutual Namibia said that their aim is simple: to enable long-term capital growth for investors who want to future-proof their portfolios.
“The fund is available to retail investors through our local distribution platforms, while institutional clients can still access our tailored segregated mandates for bespoke offshore exposure, suited to their specific mandates and risk appetite,†he said.
Managing Director of the Old Mutual Investment Group Lionel Kannemeyer said the World Wide Equity Fund is managed locally, by a team of Namibian portfolio managers who hold CFA charters and have over 40 years of combined investment experience.
“We believe this is what true localisation looks like: not limiting opportunity to borders, but delivering global access through local talent. The launch of this fund builds on the foundation we’ve already established as an investment group. We currently manage over N$60 billion in assets under management across a broad range of strategies,†Kannemeyer further shared.
OMIGNAM also oversees a US Dollar Money Market Fund domiciled in Mauritius, and with over US$400 million in assets under management, the fund is backed by multinational organisations from across the globe, who have placed their trust in OMIGNAM as a Namibian asset manager.
