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Namibian press · Organization

Financial Intelligence Centre

Also known as: FIC

Financial Intelligence Centre — Namibian institution that issues administrative sanctions for anti-money laundering compliance failures and works to strengthen the country's financial system.

2024-05-142026-08-21
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. December 2025

  2. The Namibian

    Financial Intelligence Centre improved its rating from 5.09 in 2023 to 4.78 in 2025 on Basel Index

    Source

    “Financial Intelligence Centre director Bryan Eiseb says the country improved from a rating of 5.09 in 2023 to 4.89 in 2024, and now to 4.78 in 2025.”

    Namibia ranked 5th in Africa on dealing with money laundering
  3. August 2024

  4. The Namibian

    Financial Intelligence Centre said the country effectively addressed 59 recommended actions

    Source

    “"The country was found to have effectively addressed 59 recommended actions, while the remaining 13 required improvement," says Bryan Eiseb, the director of the Financial Intelligence Centre.”

    Namibia makes progress after greylisting
  5. May 2024

  6. The Namibian

    Bank of Namibia's Financial Intelligence Centre established that money in two Dubai bank accounts was withdrawn and accounts were empty

    Source

    “The Namibian reported in February 2022 that the Bank of Namibia's Financial Intelligence Centre established that the money in the two Dubai bank accounts had been withdrawn and the accounts were found to be empty.”

    Hatuikulipi says Dubai bank accounts are empty, closed
Politics

Unexplained wealth should signal corruption for investigation

The News

Financial Intelligence Centre director Bryan Eiseb says unexplained wealth should be treated as a warning sign of possible corruption and referred to law-enforcement agencies. Eiseb, nominated to succeed Paulus Noa as director general of Namibia's Anti-Corruption Commission, argued that stronger anti-money laundering systems and attention to gaps between legitimate income and accumulated assets are key to preventing corruption and protecting public resources.

2 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 2 August

  1. Unexplained wealth should signal corruption for investigation

    Financial Intelligence Centre director Bryan Eiseb says unexplained wealth should be treated as a warning sign of possible corruption and referred to law-enforcement agencies. Eiseb, nominated to succeed Paulus Noa as director general of Namibia's Anti-Corruption Commission, argued that stronger anti-money laundering systems and attention to gaps between legitimate income and accumulated assets are key to preventing corruption and protecting public resources.

    2 August 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. ACC director pushes lifestyle audits for public officials

    Namibia's new Anti-Corruption Commission director general Bryan Eiseb has prioritized unexplained wealth as a key corruption-fighting tool, arguing that lifestyle audits, asset tracking, and unexplained wealth orders could deter corrupt officials by preventing them from enjoying illegal proceeds.

    2 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 13 July

  1. Parliament approves ACC chief, warns against selective justice

    The National Assembly unanimously approved Bryan Eiseb as director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission while lawmakers across parties warned the institution must pursue corruption without political interference and shed its reputation for allowing politically connected cases to go unpunished.

    13 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Sunday 12 July

  1. Windhoek firm loses pensioners' N$250 to N$350 million

    Wealth Management Solutions, a Windhoek financial advisory firm, has lost at least N$250 million belonging to pensioners and families through risky foreign investments; the owner allegedly paid out clients from other people's accounts to hide losses, and a liquidator estimates total losses could reach N$350 million.

    12 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 9 July

  1. EU to remove Namibia from financial crime monitoring list by year-end

    Following Namibia's removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list in June, the EU has initiated an internal legislative procedure expected to result in Namibia's removal from the EU's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) list by the end of the year, subject to a European Parliament vote. The EU clarified that its financial crime monitoring jurisdiction list does not constitute sanctions or restrictions on trade, investment, or development cooperation.

    9 July 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 8 July

  1. EU congratulates Namibia on removal from FATF grey list

    The European Union congratulated Namibia on its removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list in June 2026, recognising progress in strengthening the country's financial system. The EU supported Namibia's implementation of the FATF Action Plan through capacity building to over 150 officials across law enforcement and justice institutions.

    8 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 7 July

  1. Financial Intelligence Centre sanctions 342 offenders for compliance failures

    The Financial Intelligence Centre issued 342 administrative sanctions and N$19.91 million in penalties following a 1,300% surge in anti-money laundering compliance failures, up from 25 sanctions the previous year. Institutions including banks, legal practitioners, property agents, and casinos were penalised for failures such as inadequate due diligence on high-risk clients, failure to identify beneficial owners, and failure to report suspicious transactions.

    7 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 3 July

  1. Paulus Noa retires after 20 years as ACC director general

    Paulus Noa, who established Namibia's Anti-Corruption Commission from scratch in 2006 and served as its director general for 20 years, is stepping down with Bryan Eiseb nominated as his successor. During his tenure, the ACC processed over 7,500 corruption complaints and expanded to include forensic, intelligence, and anti-money laundering divisions.

    3 July 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Thursday 25 June

  1. Bryan Eiseb nominated to lead Namibia's Anti-Corruption Commission

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has nominated Bryan Eiseb, currently head of the Financial Intelligence Centre, to lead the Anti-Corruption Commission, with Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare tabling a motion in the National Assembly for parliamentary approval. Eiseb, 55, would succeed Paulus Noa, whose term as director general ends this month.

    25 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 24 June

  1. Namibia exits FATF grey list after major financial reforms

    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.

    24 June 2026 · New Era →

  2. Namibia exits FATF grey list, strengthening financial system confidence

    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.

    24 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 23 June

  1. Eiseb nominated as next Anti-Corruption Commission director

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has nominated Financial Intelligence Centre director Bryan Eiseb as the new director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission, to succeed Paulus Noa whose term ends this month. If approved by parliament, Eiseb will serve a five-year term.

    23 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. PM seeks parliamentary approval for ACC director general appointment

    Prime Minister Dr Elijah Ngurare has given notice that he will ask the National Assembly to approve the presidential appointment of Bryan Eiseb as Director General of the Anti-Corruption Commission for a five-year term, and the one-year extension of Advocate Erna van der Merwe's tenure. Eiseb currently serves as Director of the Financial Intelligence Centre at the Bank of Namibia.

    23 June 2026 · Informanté →

Saturday 20 June

  1. Namibia removed from FATF grey list following reforms

    Namibia has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force's grey list after successfully implementing reforms to strengthen its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework. The country was initially grey-listed in February 2024 with 13 identified deficiencies, which it addressed ahead of a May 2026 deadline.

    20 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 19 June

  1. Namibia removed from FATF Grey List after compliance improvements

    Namibia has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force Grey List after successfully addressing strategic deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework. The decision, announced at the FATF Plenary in Paris in June 2026, follows Namibia's completion of all actions in its agreed action plan since being placed on the list in February 2024.

    19 June 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 23 March

  1. South Africa's commercial crime surge defies public scrutiny

    Commercial crime cases in South Africa have nearly doubled over a decade to 143,600 in 2024/25, becoming the only major crime category besides kidnapping that is growing relentlessly, yet official statistics lack granular breakdowns and institutions remain largely silent about the problem. Digital banking fraud has surged 86% in a single year, with AI-enabled scams and social engineering tactics making fraud increasingly sophisticated and difficult to track.

    23 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 16 March

  1. Minister criticized for blaming pensioners targeted by online scams

    Minister Emma Theofelus drew criticism from consumer activists after stating that pensioners falling victim to online scams bear responsibility for protecting themselves, while activists argue the government should run awareness campaigns and opponents point to legislative gaps in data protection and cybercrime laws.

    16 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 9 March

  1. Abuse of power leads ACC cases in 2024/25

    The Anti-Corruption Commission reported that 45% of the 127 cases it handled in the 2024/25 financial year involved abuse of power, with bribery and misuse of public resources among other common issues. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare called for robust anti-corruption strategies, adequate funding for key institutions, and better collaboration among stakeholders to combat corruption.

    9 March 2026 · New Era →

Friday 6 March

  1. Prime Minister outlines anti-corruption strategy implementation progress

    Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare addressed the National Anti-Corruption Strategy Steering Committee, emphasizing the government's commitment to fighting corruption and the importance of cooperation among anti-corruption institutions. He noted that the second National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2021–2025) is ending and an independent evaluation will inform the development of a third strategy for 2026–2030, with consultations planned across all fourteen regions.

    6 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Namibia intensifies anti-money laundering reforms to exit FATF greylist

    Namibia is strengthening its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework with European Union support, with the Financial Intelligence Centre launching a national risk assessment workshop as part of efforts to exit the FATF greylist and prepare for international evaluation.

    6 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 4 March

  1. PM urges anti-corruption agencies to share intelligence

    Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has called on government institutions responsible for tackling corruption to stop working in isolation and instead collaborate through shared intelligence and coordinated action. He emphasized the need for adequate funding of anti-corruption bodies and decentralization of services to the regions.

    4 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 17 February

  1. April on-site inspection to determine Namibia's FATF grey list exit

    Namibia's removal from the Financial Action Task Force's grey list depends on an on-site inspection scheduled for April 2026 to verify that financial sector reforms are embedded and operational. The FIC says all 13 strategic deficiencies in Namibia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework have been remedied, with the Africa Joint Group's assessment to determine whether these reforms are effectively implemented in practice.

    17 February 2026 · New Era →

  2. Namibia completes anti-money laundering reforms, faces on-site assessment

    The Financial Action Task Force accepted that Namibia has substantially completed its 13-point action plan to address strategic deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework ahead of the May 2026 deadline. The country will now undergo an on-site assessment by the Africa Joint Group to verify implementation of the reforms, the final step toward exiting the grey list.

    17 February 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 16 February

  1. Namibia completes anti-money laundering reforms, heads to on-site assessment

    The Financial Action Task Force has accepted that Namibia has substantially completed its action plan addressing 13 strategic deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework, with reforms including enhanced supervision, beneficial ownership tracking, and improved law enforcement coordination. The country now faces an on-site assessment by the Africa Joint Group to verify full implementation before potentially exiting the FATF grey list.

    16 February 2026 · Informanté →

Financial Intelligence Centre — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute