Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
July 2026
Informanté
Ebson Uangutaexplaineddomestic economy demonstrated resilience despite ongoing global headwinds
Source
“Ebson Uanguta, the Governor of the Bank of Namibia, explained that despite ongoing global headwinds, the domestic economy demonstrated resilience during the period under review.”
Ebson Uangutasaidbanking sector remained well capitalised, profitable and liquid in Q1 2026
Source
“He added that the banking sector remained well capitalised, profitable and liquid during the first quarter of 2026, with notable improvements in asset quality.”
Governor Ebson UangutaledBank of Namibia delegation at Declaration of Intent signing
Source
“The signing brought together senior representatives from the Bank of Namibia, led by Governor Ebson Uanguta, IPN, led by Chief Operating Officer Marsorry Ickua, and NamClear, led by Managing Director Fabian Tait.”
Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uangutastated that exit from FATF grey listreflects commitment to safeguarding financial system integrity
Source
“"Namibia's exit from the FATF grey list is a significant national milestone that reflects our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the financial system and strengthening confidence in our economy," he said.”
Bank of Namibia Governor Ebson Uangutasaid removal from grey list markssuccessful conclusion of financial governance reform efforts
Source
“Bank of Namibia Governor and chairperson of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Council, Ebson Uanguta said Namibia's removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list marks the successful conclusion of one of the country's most significant financial governance reform efforts, while stressing that maintaining international standards will require continued vigilance.”
BoN governor Ebson Uangutasaidthe decision was necessary to protect economy from rising inflation
Source
“BoN governor Ebson Uanguta said the decision was necessary to protect the economy from rising inflation and to maintain the one-to-one link between the Namibian dollar and the South African rand.”
Ebson Uanguta, the Governor of the Central Bankexplainedthat monetary policy stances across key economies have shifted towards tightening
Source
“Ebson Uanguta, the Governor of the Central Bank, explained that monetary policy stances across key economies have shifted from the generally cautious approach at the time of the previous Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting towards tightening on account of rising inflationary pressures.”
Ebson Uangutaannouncedrepo rate will increase by 25 basis points to 6.75%, effective immediately
Source
“Allexer Namundjembo Bank of Namibia Governor, Ebson Uanguta announced on Wednesday that the repo rate will increase by 25 basis points to 6.75%, effective immediately.”
The Bank of Namibia's Macroprudential Oversight Committee concluded that Namibia's financial system remains sound and stable following an assessment of systemic risks and vulnerabilities. Real GDP grew by 2.0% in the first quarter of 2026, rebounding from 0.1% in the final quarter of 2025, with growth projected to reach 2.6% in 2026, though the outlook faces downside risks from geopolitical tensions, weaker global demand, and water supply constraints.
The Bank of Namibia's Macroprudential Oversight Committee concluded that Namibia's financial system remains sound and stable following an assessment of systemic risks and vulnerabilities. Real GDP grew by 2.0% in the first quarter of 2026, rebounding from 0.1% in the final quarter of 2025, with growth projected to reach 2.6% in 2026, though the outlook faces downside risks from geopolitical tensions, weaker global demand, and water supply constraints.
The Bank of Namibia, Instant Payments Namibia (IPN), and NamClear signed a Declaration of Intent to strengthen collaboration and align their operations, aiming to enhance efficiency, resilience and interoperability of the national payments ecosystem by connecting instant payment capability with existing clearing infrastructure.
Namibia has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list as of 19 June 2026, following the amendment of nine laws and enactment of four new pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures. The government hailed the removal as a turning point for investor confidence and integration into the global financial system.
Namibia has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, effective 19 June 2026. Finance minister Ericah Shafudah said the exit reflects political commitment and institutional coordination on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing reforms, while cautioning against complacency.
The Bank of Namibia's governor reports that the Monetary Policy Committee increased the repo rate by 25 basis points in response to rising inflationary pressures driven by oil infrastructure damage and shipping disruptions from Middle Eastern conflict. As a small open economy, Namibia remains vulnerable to external shocks transmitted through global markets.
The Bank of Namibia increased the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.75%, pushing the prime lending rate to 10.25%, which means commercial banks will charge more for home loans, vehicle finance, and other credit. Governor Ebson Uanguta said the decision was necessary to mitigate inflationary risks and safeguard the one-to-one link between the Namibian dollar and the South African rand.
The Bank of Namibia increased the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.75%, bringing the Prime lending rate to 10.25%, citing rising global and domestic inflationary pressures and shifting monetary policy stances among major central banks.
The Bank of Namibia increased the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.75%, effective immediately, with the prime lending rate also rising to 10.25%. Governor Ebson Uanguta said the Monetary Policy Committee tightened policy to counter rising inflation and maintain the NAD/ZAR currency peg, with headline inflation climbing to 4.1% in May 2026.
An editorial criticizes Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare's approach to Namibia's housing crisis, arguing that appealing to commercial banks to lower mortgage rates ignores the systemic failures that have produced a backlog of over 300,000 units and left the ultra low-income majority unable to qualify for traditional mortgages.
Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uanguta warned that Namibia's public debt could rise to 70% of GDP by the end of the current financial year without spending reforms, noting that debt has already exceeded the 60% benchmark and currently stands at 65.2% of GDP. The central bank says the government can no longer rely on borrowing to fund expenditure and cautioned against borrowing against future oil revenues.
Prime minister Elijah Ngurare has questioned Namibia's housing finance model, arguing that lengthy repayment periods of up to 20 years make homeownership unaffordable for young people, and has urged the Bank of Namibia to engage commercial banks to review and reform existing housing finance models. Finance minister Ericah Shafudah welcomed the directive and called for the central bank, her ministry, and the office of the prime minister to work with commercial banks to implement the proposal.
The central bank governor told parliament that reducing high banking fees will take time as new regulations are implemented, though he expects significant progress within three years. Banks earned N$5.0 billion from fee income last year, representing 31.3% of their total income.
The Bank of Namibia announced its repo rate will remain at 6.50% until mid-June, keeping commercial bank prime lending rates at 10%. The central bank cited weak domestic economic activity, higher inflation forecasts for 2026, and the need to maintain the Namibia dollar's peg to the South African rand in its decision.
Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uanguta said Namibia's economy faces headwinds from weaker diamond prices, drought and constrained fiscal space, though it is projected to gradually strengthen over the medium term supported by increased uranium production, tourism recovery, and mining and energy investment. He noted that Namibia's strategic importance presents opportunities in oil and gas, renewable energy, and mining, but cautioned that global growth is expected to remain subdued through 2026 and 2027 amid geopolitical tensions and technological shifts.
The Bank of Namibia hosted diplomats, development agencies and international stakeholders to discuss global economic developments and Namibia's economic outlook. BoN governor Ebson Uanguta said the global economy faces structural changes from geopolitical tensions, technology shifts, climate risks and supply-chain disruptions, and that central banks must strengthen areas beyond traditional mandates including digital finance and cyber resilience.
Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uanguta visited Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda to strengthen cooperation and learn from other African central banks, focusing on financial systems, digital transformation, banking supervision, oil sector management and economic policy. The Bank of Namibia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda's central bank on economic research, financial inclusion, digital transformation, sustainable finance, innovation and staff training.
Bank of Namibia governor Ebson Uanguta has urged the public to stop damaging the country's new coin series, saying such actions are contributing to their deterioration. The coin series, introduced last year, has drawn criticism over rust and reduced durability; Uanguta said the bank is investigating concerns and testing coins in laboratories.
The Bank of Namibia's Monetary Policy Committee unanimously decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.50%, with commercial banks expected to maintain their prime lending rate at 10.00%. The decision was guided by weak domestic economic activity, higher inflation forecast for 2026, and the need to safeguard the peg between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand.
The Bank of Namibia has appointed Nicholas Mukasa as second deputy governor effective May. Mukasa previously served as director of financial markets, managing foreign exchange reserves, implementing monetary policy, and overseeing government debt issuance.
The Bank of Namibia has agreed to purchase gold from Navachab Gold Mine for its reserves, but will send the unrefined gold abroad to be refined to international standards and is considering storage at the Bank of England in London. The central bank will buy gold through planned transactions over several months at prevailing market prices, aiming for a single-digit allocation to its foreign reserves.
The Bank of Namibia reported that real GDP growth dropped to 1.7% in 2025 from 3.8% in 2024, driven by weaker agriculture, lower global diamond demand, and manufacturing contraction, though inflation eased to 3.5% and services remained steady. Global growth is expected to slow to 3.2% by 2027 due to rising public debt and geopolitical tensions.
The Bank of Namibia declared a record annual loss of N$892 million for 2025, primarily due to unrealised foreign exchange losses from Eurobond redemption and currency fluctuations, though operating profit of N$569 million allowed a N$200 million dividend to government.
The Bank of Namibia paid N$200 million in dividends to the government for the 2025 financial year, down from N$720 million in 2024, despite strong operating profit of N$569 million. Governor Ebson Uanguta attributed the decline to factors including reduced global inflation, weakening of the US dollar, Eurobond redemption, and currency fluctuations.
The Bank of Namibia recorded an operating profit of N$569 million in 2025 and will distribute N$200 million in dividends to government, down from N$750 million in 2024, following a 50% decline in distribution profits due to global inflation declines, US dollar weakness, and Eurobond redemption.
The Bank of Namibia has signed a gold purchase agreement with QKR Namibia Navachab to acquire locally produced gold, part of a broader programme to strengthen reserve assets, enhance financial resilience, and support the country's ability to respond to external shocks. The phased gold acquisition programme aligns with international reserve management standards and aims to support macroeconomic stability and national economic interests.
The Bank of Namibia has signed a gold purchase agreement with QKR Namibia Navachab to strengthen the country's financial reserves and implement a structured gold acquisition programme. The agreement aims to improve reserve management, enhance financial resilience, support retention of national resources, and help the economy respond to external shocks.
The Bank of Namibia and the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority have signed an updated Memorandum of Agreement to strengthen cooperation in regulating Namibia's financial sector. The framework enables information sharing, joint supervision, joint investigations, and coordination on emerging risks and financial technology matters.
The Bank of Namibia and the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority have signed an updated agreement to improve cooperation in regulating and supervising the financial sector, including joint supervision, information sharing, and support for fintech development. The partnership aims to safeguard financial stability, protect consumers, and align Namibia with international standards.
The Bank of Namibia and NAMFISA have signed an updated Memorandum of Agreement to strengthen cooperation in regulating the financial sector, establishing a system for information sharing, joint inspections, and risk monitoring. The deal includes creation of a technical working group to support responsible growth of financial technology in Namibia.
Prime Minister Dr Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare has called on financial institutions to engage in respectful dialogue that preserves individuals' dignity and minimizes severe consequences like home repossession, emphasizing humanity and shared national responsibility. During a meeting with the Bank of Namibia, he commended the institution's strategic direction and affirmed government support for advancing the Sixth National Development Plan through credible and forward-looking institutions.