Namibia is set to host the 2025 Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum (GPF) from 1–5 September 2025 in Swakopmund, marking the first time in over a decade that this flagship event is held in Southern Africa. This landmark gathering will convene over 700 delegates, including central banks, financial regulators, development partners, policymakers, technology innovators, and leading international stakeholders – to shape the future of financial inclusion and its role in driving economic resilience and growth. The Bank of Namibia, a member of AFI since 2009, will co-host this global platform, placing Namibia at the forefront of financial inclusion policy and innovation. The Forum is anchored on the theme “Empowering Society, Enabling Growth”, which calls on policymakers to go beyond expanding access to financial services and ensure that people can use these services meaningfully to improve their lives. For Namibia, this is an opportunity to showcase the country’s progress, from targeted SME financing frameworks and consumer protection mechanisms to digital financial inclusion strategies, while also learning from global best practices.

The Bank of Namibia, a member of AFI since 2009, will co-host this global platform, placing Namibia at the forefront of financial inclusion policy and innovation. The Forum is anchored on the theme “Empowering Society, Enabling Growth”, which calls on policymakers to go beyond expanding access to financial services and ensure that people can use these services meaningfully to improve their lives. For Namibia, this is an opportunity to showcase the country’s progress, from targeted SME financing frameworks and consumer protection mechanisms to digital financial inclusion strategies, while also learning from global best practices.

Each year, the AFI network meets to accelerate financial inclusion nationally, regionally, and globally. The GPF is a space for policy direction-setting, showcasing inclusive innovation, advancing peer learning, and forging cross-sector collaboration. Namibia’s financial inclusion story has evolved from simply getting more people banked to addressing challenges such as high transaction costs, digital access, and usage barriers. This year’s forum will enable robust dialogue on these issues, with particular focus on instant payments, open banking, digital identity, inclusive green finance, blended finance, and MSME development.