Allexer Namundjembo
Bank of Namibia (BoN) deputy governor Ebson Uanguta says many Namibians continue to face financial exclusion, despite official figures showing increased access to financial services.
Speaking at the launch of BoN’s national financial inclusion campaign in Windhoek on Tuesday, Uanguta said statistics alone do not reflect the full reality.
“An inclusive financial system is not a luxury; it is a necessity. True monetary stability cannot exist without meaningful economic participation by all our citizens,” Uanguta said.
BoN data show that 78% of adult Namibians have access to some form of financial service, but Uanguta emphasises that many citizens remain excluded.
“Statistics alone do not tell the full story. Behind each percentage point are real people, entrepreneurs, farmers, students, and pensioners, many still constrained by barriers we have the power to remove,” he added.
The campaign focuses on three key pillars: access, financial literacy, and consumer protection.
Uanguta said these elements must work together for the campaign to succeed.
“Access without understanding leads to vulnerability. Protection without access entrenches exclusion,” he said.
As part of the initiative, the BoN will launch a digital financial literacy booklet, created in partnership with the Financial Literacy Initiative.
“This tool will help Namibians, from mobile money users to first-time digital investors, understand, navigate, and protect themselves,” Uanguta said.
The bank is also introducing an Instant Payment System to enhance transaction speed and security across the financial sector.
“We are advancing significant regulatory reforms, including the development of our Instant Payment System,” Uanguta explained.
He shared stories of citizens who face challenges due to their exclusion from formal financial systems.
“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.”
The campaign will be delivered in multiple languages across various platforms to ensure widespread understanding.
“We will engage communities in preferred local languages, ensuring that language is never a barrier to understanding,” Uanguta said.
Uanguta concluded by stating that financial inclusion is a collective responsibility, not just a service provided by the government.
The campaign comes ahead of Namibia hosting the Alliance for Financial Inclusion Global Policy Forum in Swakopmund next month.
