FNB, Bank of Namibia engage on trade

FNB Namibia held talks with Bank of Namibia Governor Ebson Uanguta on Namibia's economic outlook and the financial sector's role in enabling regional growth.

Discussions centred on evidence-based policymaking, economic diversification and translating opportunity into meaningful participation across the economy. The role of the financial sector in enabling high-growth industries, including oil and gas, was also highlighted as a driver of long-term resilience.

Conrad Dempsey, chief executive of FNB Namibia, said Namibia's economic future would depend not only on the opportunities ahead but on how effectively those opportunities were enabled. He said inclusive growth was designed through deliberate collaboration between the public and private sectors.

"At FNB Namibia, our role extends beyond financing growth to enabling it across the economy," he said. "The focus now is on broadening that growth and making it more inclusive, ensuring that the systems supporting it remain responsive, efficient and accessible. Namibia is positioned within an increasingly connected African growth story, with the foundations in place to play a greater role in regional trade and investment flows."

The engagement also reinforced the importance of maintaining a financial system that is stable, accessible, innovative and aligned with national development priorities. FNB Namibia said it would support enterprise development, deepen local participation and contribute to a more competitive and resilient economy.

Byron Longwe, FirstRand's chief executive for Africa operations, highlighted the importance of regional connectivity in shaping Africa's economic future.

"Trade hubs are not defined by geography alone, but by how effectively they connect markets, capital and opportunity," he said. "Namibia is well-positioned, not only as a growing economy, but as an important link to regional and continental opportunity. Its stability, infrastructure and strategic location create a strong platform to connect local businesses to broader African markets."

"When businesses grow, economies become more resilient and more inclusive. Banking has a responsibility to finance that growth and connect and catalyse it."