Access Bank gets greenlight to operate in Namibia

The Bank of Namibia has announced today that it has granted Access Bank Namibia Limited authorisation to conduct banking business in Namibia.

Mr Kazembire Zemburuka, the director for strategic communications and international relations at the Bank of Namibia said that the decision was made in terms of section 13(2) of the Banking Institutions Act, 2023.

“The authorisation follows a comprehensive assessment in accordance with the Act,” Mr Zemburuka said.

“The public is notified that [effective from 2 October 2026] Access Bank Namibia Limited is now authorised to engage in banking business in Namibia, including accepting deposits from and providing banking services to the public.”

This brings the number of commercial banks operating in Namibia to eight. The banks are: Bank Windhoek (the only Namibian-owned bank), First National Bank Namibia, Standard Bank Namibia, Nedbank Namibia, Bank BIC Namibia, Letshego Bank Namibia, Banco Atlantico, and now Access Bank Namibia (with its headquarters in Nigeria).

In the photo: Mr Ebson Uanguta, Governor of the Bank of Namibia giving the go-ahead certificate to Mr Jerome Mutumba, the Chairperson of Access Bank Namibia, alongside senior management teams of both the Bank of Namibia and Access Bank Namibia.