Prioritising financial success

Ndailikana Joseph is a passionate champion for the financial stability and development of Namibian businesses.

Joseph owns Lunar Bookkeeping and Consultancy, an online business that offers business registration, bookkeeping, accounting, tax administration, business strategies, Pastel payroll and HR training, and other company secretarial services.

She was born and raised in Windhoek and has always had an intrinsic desire to work in the field of accounting. Joseph obtained her accounting qualification from the University of Namibia and is currently pursuing an Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification.



Resilience

"I had accounting as a subject since grade eight, and I fell in love with it because it was easy to do at the time, and I knew one day I would like to be an accountant and have my own firm, so I chose commerce in grades 11 to 12 and still applied for accounting at the tertiary level," she explains.

Accounting is not all rainbows and sunshine, and it is not for the faint of heart. She remembers her modest beginnings in accounting, particularly at the tertiary level. Regardless of her challenges, she told herself that she would persevere and would not change courses.



Crucial services

According to Joseph, there are numerous obstacles faced by SMEs in Namibia, as well as common errors she has encountered in businesses she has aided or offered services to.

"Admittedly, many Namibian SMEs do not know how to fill out forms, keep records of their company's financial transactions in organised accounts on a daily basis, file tax returns, and ensure they are in good standing with the registration bodies such as the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA)".

She explains how her services are crucial for businesses.

"If your company is not in good standing with the registration bodies or if you do not file your returns with NamRA, you may face severe fines. This occurs when you are late in filing your returns, which you are not supposed to neglect."

With the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa), a Namibian business registration body that ensures the effective administration of business and intellectual property rights (IPRs), every company or business has an annual duty that is due to BIPA; if you fail to make this payment as well as fail to file your returns, you owe BIPA three times more the following year.

However, NamRA has the advantage of potentially waiving these penalties if you explain why you failed to comply with your duties on time, which is part of the services she provides.

She emphasises the significance of improving financial literacy in Namibia. "Bookkeeping is important because it helps track business financial activities such as revenues and expenses on a regular basis. It tells you how your money is flowing in and out of the firm, giving you an idea of how it is operating."

Bookkeeping, she says, "is essential in Namibia to keep you organised for tax time and to avoid run-ins with registration officials. To monitor cash flow and demonstrate credibility to investors."



A bright future

Joseph is optimistic about the future of her company. She expresses a desire to expand the company and to hire employees who share her passion, as well as to reach a broader audience and continue to passionately offer her services.