Instant payment pilot clears live test
Namibia's Instant Payment Solution has cleared its final hurdle before launch, with Instant Payment Namibia confirming the successful completion of pilot testing in a live production environment.Live transactions were processed between the Bank of Namibia's Currency Management and Banking Operations Department and the first cohort of participating institutions, Bank Windhoek, Nampost and Letshego Bank Namibia, confirming the platform's ability to handle instant payments securely and efficiently.
Instant Payment Namibia chief operating officer Marsorry Ickua said the pilot marked the first time instant payments had operated in a live production environment in Namibia, describing it as a significant step in the country's payments modernisation journey.
He said the successful test confirmed the solution was ready for implementation and brought Namibia closer to a faster, more convenient and more accessible payment experience for all its citizens.The rollout will proceed in phases. The first will focus on Government-to-Person payments, enabling participating institutions to receive and disburse government social grants through the platform. Further use cases targeting broader financial inclusion will follow in subsequent phases.
Infrastructure, not competition
The platform has its roots in a deliberate policy decision by the Bank of Namibia to treat instant payments as public infrastructure rather than a commercial product.
The central bank has described the Instant Payment Platform as a "public good" comparable to roads or energy grids, designed to provide low-cost, efficient payment services that work across all financial service providers in Namibia, including those serving rural areas and the informal economy where traditional banks have historically found service provision unprofitable.
Kazembire Zemburuka, the central bank's executive spokesperson, previously said the platform was an instrument of economic participation. He said it would create a level playing field for users, empower communities, support small businesses and strengthen trust in the national payment system.
Instant Payment Namibia, a subsidiary of the Bank of Namibia, will operate strictly as a payment system operator, without offering services directly to consumers or businesses. Regulated providers, including banks, authorised fintechs and e-money issuers, will deliver services to the public through the interoperable system.
The central bank has been candid about its rationale for stepping in directly, framing its role as a responsible intervention in areas where market-led solutions have fallen short on financial inclusion, interoperability and cost reduction. Zemburuka said the bank's dual role as regulator and platform founder was not a conflict of interest but a catalytic response to where the market had lagged.
Once public interest goals, including expanded access, lower fees and stronger competition, are achieved, the Bank of Namibia plans to withdraw from direct operational involvement and hand the platform to industry management through a structured transition.
Instant Payment Namibia thanked Bank Windhoek, Nampost, Letshego Bank Namibia, the Bank of Namibia's Currency Management and Banking Operations Department and technology partner NPCI International Payments Limited for their contributions to reaching the milestone.
