STAFF WRITER
BANK of Namibia Deputy Governor Ebson Uanguta says efforts to bridge the gap created by financial exclusion of the unbanked population in Namibia will need collaborative efforts to be closed sooner than later.
Speaking at the launch of the Financial Inclusion campaign at the apex bank on Tuesday Uanguta said they are working with the Ministry of Finance through the Financial Literacy Initiative, NAMFISA, commercial banks, mobile money operators, microfinance institutions, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) and civil society organisations to drive an all inclusive financial inclusion campaign countrywide..
“We are also advancing significant regulatory reforms, including the development of our Instant Payment System. This system will create faster, safer, and interoperable payment infrastructure, ensuring that financial services are efficient, inclusive, and built around the rights of consumers,” Uanguta said.
According to Uanguta financial inclusion takes recognition of the experienced informal trader whose thriving business cannot grow because traditional collateral rules lock her out of credit.
“The graduate with an innovative idea but no pathway to seed funding.
The pensioner who falls prey to scams because he lacks digital literacy. These stories are not exceptions, they are widespread realities. The woman running a small enterprise in Katutura faces the same fundamental barriers as the farmer in Kavango seeking seasonal credit. Our solutions must be as diverse as the communities we serve yet unified in their commitment to inclusion,” he said.
Uanguta said this year Namibia will host the Alliance for Financial Inclusion Global Policy Forum from 2–5 September 2025, in Swakopmund, a recognition of our growing leadership in the region.
“In the coming days and over the duration of this month, Namibians will encounter this campaign on financial inclusion across multiple platforms and in multiple languages. Our approach recognises that effective communication must be culturally relevant and linguistically accessible. We will engage communities in preferred local languages, ensuring that language is never a barrier to understanding,” he said.
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