One woman, two worlds

Ndeshihafela Ndivayele has built two companies in two very different worlds – mining technology and creative culture – but for her, both come from the same instinct: an unwillingness to let a good idea stay a good idea.

That mindset has shaped Ndivayele's career from mining engineering into entrepreneurship.

She holds a bachelor of engineering in mining (Honours), along with postgraduate studies in leadership in extractives and African development, and an executive programme in leadership in climate-smart mining.

Her professional experience spans strategic planning, mineral-resource optimisation, project viability, business development and advisory work across mining, energy, and oil and gas.

But today, her ambitions reach beyond engineering.

Ndivayele is the founder of Nabo Innovations, a Namibian mining technology start-up established in November 2021 that develops practical solutions for industries including mining, energy, and oil and gas.

She is also the founder of House of Noir Renozance, launched in November 2025, a creative and cultural venture bringing together music, visual arts, fashion, film, live experiences and African culture.

“The two businesses may operate in very different spaces, but the motivation behind them is similar,” she says. “Both are about creating, challenging conventional approaches and building something that has long-term value.”

Mining a bigger vision

Her interest in mining began with a fascination with geology and how the earth's resources came to be, and what lay beneath the surface. Over time, that curiosity grew into a broader interest in how Africa can use its natural resources to build industries, skills and opportunities.

“I wanted to understand not only how resources are extracted, but how they can create greater value for the countries and communities that host them,” she says.

“I have always been drawn to building things and solving problems," she adds. “Over time, I realised that some of the ideas and solutions I wanted to pursue could not simply remain concepts or conversations. They needed platforms through which they could actually be developed and tested.”

That belief now informs her vision for Nabo Innovation, to build an African engineering technology company capable of developing solutions and intellectual property that can compete beyond the continent.

Beyond titles

Yet her ambitions do not stop at mining.

House of Noir Renozance represents another side of Ndivayele, one that she believes deserves the same seriousness as engineering. The creative production house was recognised as a top-performing business through the 2025 Basecamp & Directorate of Arts Creative Futures Programme.

For Ndivayele, leadership is ultimately about more than having a title.

“You do not need a title to lead," she says, adding that execution, discipline, trust and the ability to listen are just as important as vision.

Her advice to young people reflects that philosophy: “Do not chase the title before you have built the competence.”