Also known as: FIMA · Financial Institutions and Markets Act (2021)
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Windhoek Observer
UAATJO KAURIMUJE On the 1st of May 2026, Namibia entered a new era in financial regulation with the commencement of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act, Act No. …
A new dawn for consumer protectionNew Era
When Namibia’s Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) came into effect on 1 May 2026, it was hailed as one of the biggest ever shake-ups of the country’s non-banking financial sector in decades. …
Holes poked in FIMA housing loan rules …village houses financing a distant dreamNew Era
When Namibia’s Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) came into effect on 1 May 2026, it was hailed as one of the biggest ever shake-ups of the country’s non-banking financial sector in decades. …
Holes poked in FIMA housing loan rules …village houses financing a distant dreamWindhoek Observer
Allexer Namundjembo The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (NAMFISA) has given administrators of pension funds, medical aid funds, and friendly societies 12 months to formally register under the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA), warning that those w …
NAMFISA gives fund administrators one year to register under new lawWindhoek Observer
… The Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) was introduced to modernise Namibia’s financial regulatory framework and, among other objectives, strengthen the protection of retirement savings. …
Pension reforms should not put home ownership further out of reachWindhoek Observer
Renthia Kaimbi The Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA), designed to protect retirement savings, may be unintentionally shutting out thousands of ordinary Namibians from accessing affordable housing finance through their pension funds. …
Pension funds face housing loan freeze under FIMA …RFS halts processing of unsecured housing loans …GIPF says members’ pension itself serves as security …uncertainty looms over NAMFISA exemptionWindhoek Observer
Renthia Kaimbi The Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) now prohibits employers from deducting financial losses due to employee theft, fraud, dishonesty, or misconduct directly from pension benefits. …
FIMA blocks employers from recovering theft losses from employees’ pensionsWindhoek Observer
The coming into force of Namibia’s Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) has ushered in one of the most significant reforms to the country’s financial sector in decades. …
Pension protection versus accountability: FIMA’s unintended consequencesThe Namibian
The implementation of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima) on 1 May marked a significant step in modernising the regulation of Namibia’s non-banking financial sector. …
Fima ushers in new era for financial sector – ShafudahThe Namibian
… The regulator further highlighted that the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima) significantly strengthens consumer protection within Namibia’s non-bank financial sector by giving Namfisa broader powers to supervise institutions, investigate misconduct, impose sanctions a …
Consumer credit bill nears final stageNamibia has begun implementing the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA), a consolidated regulatory framework designed to strengthen consumer protection, enhance financial stability, and modernize oversight of the non-banking financial sector by replacing several separate laws.
2 hours ago · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia has begun implementing the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA), a consolidated regulatory framework designed to strengthen consumer protection, enhance financial stability, and modernize oversight of the non-banking financial sector by replacing several separate laws.
2 hours ago · Windhoek Observer →
Since the Financial Institutions and Markets Act took effect in May 2026, concerns have arisen that Section 282(2) may unintentionally prevent thousands of pensioners from accessing affordable housing finance from their retirement funds. Industry experts worry the rule requiring a first mortgage bond for direct housing loans is hampering the consumer protection the Act was meant to provide.
17 July 2026 · New Era →
Pension fund industry experts warn that Section 282(2) of Namibia's Financial Institutions and Markets Act, which took effect in May 2026, may prevent thousands of pensioners from accessing affordable housing finance from their retirement funds. A pension funds expert emphasised the concern applies specifically to direct housing loans granted by retirement funds themselves, distinct from the Government Institutions Pension Fund housing initiative.
17 July 2026 · New Era →
The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority has given administrators of pension funds, medical aid funds, and friendly societies 12 months to formally register under the Financial Institutions and Markets Act, which comes into force on 1 May 2026. Those who fail to comply could face regulatory action.
14 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The implementation of Section 282 of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act, designed to strengthen retirement savings protection, is inadvertently creating barriers to housing loans from pension funds by imposing strict first mortgage bond requirements and causing delays for members seeking to finance home construction or purchase.
13 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Financial Institutions and Markets Act's first mortgage bond requirement for pension fund housing loans, effective May 2026, may block thousands of Namibians from accessing housing finance through their pensions. GIPF says its schemes remain operational, but a pension industry professional warns Section 282(2) could render loans inaccessible to members who previously qualified under the repealed 1956 Act, unless NAMFISA grants exemptions.
13 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Financial Institutions and Markets Act now prohibits employers from deducting financial losses due to employee theft, fraud, or misconduct from pension benefits, a practice previously permitted under the repealed Pension Funds Act. Pension professionals describe this as a legislative shift to strengthen protection of retirement savings.
17 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia's new Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) has eliminated employers' ability to recover losses from employee theft, fraud or dishonesty from workers' pension benefits—a change from the previous Pension Funds Act that strengthens pension protection but removes a mechanism to balance employer harm and retirement security.
17 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Finance minister Ericah Shafudah said the implementation of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act on 1 May marked a significant step in modernising the regulation of Namibia's non-banking financial sector. The act, passed in 2021 alongside the Namfisa Act, establishes a modern regulatory framework designed to strengthen oversight of financial institutions, improve market confidence and support sustainable growth, with over 150 regulations and standards developed through stakeholder consultations between 2021 and 2025.
3 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's proposed consumer credit bill, which aims to overhaul the consumer credit industry and protect borrowers, has completed public consultation and is now undergoing final review by Namfisa before resubmission to the finance minister. The legislation introduces stricter affordability assessments, improved disclosure requirements, stronger consumer protections, and tighter regulation of credit providers, while repealing three existing laws.
1 June 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece examines how the phrase "in the best interest of members" has become a standard justification in pension fund governance but is rarely rigorously examined, risking use as a convenient conclusion rather than a guiding principle rooted in fiduciary duty and legal obligation.
17 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah says the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima), which came into force on 1 May, will benefit citizens, businesses and investors while strengthening government oversight and modernizing the legal framework for financial institutions. Shafudah stated the act aims to ensure financial stability, financial inclusion and consumer protection.
13 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Ericah Shafudah, launched the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) on 1 May 2026, consolidating regulations for Namibia's non-bank financial sector. The minister announced that the mandatory freezing or preservation of 75% of pension funds upon resignation has been put on hold following public concerns.
13 May 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibia Health Plan says it remains committed to complying with the Financial Institutions and Markets Act while stabilising operations following challenges linked to its transition to a new managed care service provider that began on 1 April 2026. The transition has caused disruptions to claims processing and administrative delays affecting some healthcare providers and employer groups.
12 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namfisa CEO Kenneth Matomola announced that the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) and the Namfisa Act came into operation on 1 May 2026 to modernise regulation of the non-banking financial sector. Matomola stated that existing pension commutation rules remain unchanged and that pension preservation regulations are on hold pending further review.
6 May 2026 · New Era →
Namibia's Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) and NAMFISA Act became operational on 1 May 2026, consolidating previously fragmented laws into a single regulatory framework governing non-banking financial institutions, insurance, retirement funds, medical aid funds, and financial markets. NAMFISA said the implementation marks a transition from legislation to active enforcement, with focus on strengthening consumer protection and financial stability.
5 May 2026 · Informanté →
The Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima) came into operation on 1 May 2026, as announced by Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah in a government gazette issued on 30 April. Some provisions of the act have been excluded from the commencement.
5 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority has confirmed that lump sum cash entitlements on retirement will remain unchanged when the Financial Institutions and Markets Act is implemented, addressing concerns raised by the retirement fund industry.
27 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) has advised the finance minister to exempt a clause in the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima) that would have forced all retirement fund members to annuitise their benefits. Workers will continue to receive one-third of their retirement benefits tax-free as a lump sum, though the government's long-term policy aims to move Namibia toward full annuities in line with International Labour Organisation standards.
25 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibian pension funds are seeking clarity on how the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima) will affect retirement payouts, with a leaked memo suggesting the act could prohibit members from taking their full savings as a single cash payment and instead require monthly annuity payments. Industry players and Namfisa are meeting to discuss the interpretation of the new law and its potential consequences for retirees.
23 March 2026 · The Namibian →