The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has raised concern over the poor uptake of its youth-focused SME finance facilities, which saw approvals totalling just N$1.25 million in the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year.
Of the two approvals recorded so far, one was granted in the Zambezi Region, marking the first time such funding has been allocated in that part of the country.
Despite the milestone, the Bank says the overall response to its youth-specific products remains disappointingly low.
“It is worrisome that, despite Namibia’s high youth unemployment and our efforts to develop solutions tailored for young people, the uptake remains low. We expect to change the undesirable status quo,” said Jerome Mutumba, DBN’s Chief of Marketing and Corporate Affairs.
In response, the Bank said it has launched a national promotional campaign aimed at improving public understanding of the financial solutions available to young entrepreneurs and small business owners.
The initiative, according to the DBN, supports its broader mandate to boost economic development by financing sustainable enterprises, especially within the SME sector, and tackling youth unemployment.
DBN currently offers Skills-Based Finance to qualifying young artisans and professionals aged 35 and under. Although part of the Bank’s wider SME financing portfolio, this product is specifically designed for youth and features simplified requirements to make funding more accessible to those looking to start or grow their businesses.
However, take-up remains limited. In the 2024/25 financial year, the Bank approved N$74.6 million in SME funding overall, yet just N$170,000 went towards Skills-Based Finance.
