About 800 people from 62 countries are attending the 2025 Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum (GPF), which got underway in the coastal town of Swakopmund on Tuesday.
The forum, which promotes collaboration among policymakers and regulators through sharing experiences and learning from each other’s successes and challenges in the pursuit of financial inclusion, has already produced vibrant and constructive discussions on the first day, according to the Bank of Namibia.
Hosted by the Bank of Namibia in partnership with AFI and backed by financial partners including FNB Namibia, the four-day forum is taking place in southern Africa only for the third time, after it was previously held in Cape Town and Mozambique.
Dr Eliki Boletawa, AFI Director for Policy Programs and Implementation, said this year’s host venue, Swakopmund, where “the sand meets the ocean”, symbolises the resilience and adaptability needed in addressing the evolving financial inclusion landscape amid technological and geopolitical changes.
“This year’s GPF provides a platform for members to engage in meaningful dialogue on these critical issues, while working groups play a vital role in generating knowledge and guiding the network toward effective financial inclusion policies,” he said.
AFI is recognised as the world’s leading organisation dedicated to strengthening financial inclusion policies and regulations, boasting a member-owned network of central banks and financial regulatory institutions from 84 countries. Since its inception in 2008, AFI has facilitated the introduction of more than 1,130 financial inclusion policies that have positively impacted 850 million individuals worldwide.
Dr Alfred Hannig, AFI Chief Executive Officer, told delegates that this year’s forum theme of “Empowering society, enabling growth” represents a commitment to not only extend access to financial services but also to unlock economic growth through inclusive policies, data-driven insights, and innovative financial solutions.
Delegates engaged in various sessions covering global standards, consumer protection, digital finance, data impact, national strategies, inclusive green finance, and access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The Bank of Namibia contributed to the discussions through its experts: Dr Emma Haiyambo (SME Finance), Ms Geneva Hanstein (Digital Financial Services), Ms Florette Nakusera (Global Standards Proportionality), Mr Elia Paavo (Consumer Empowerment), Ms Naufiku Hamunime (Inclusive Green Finance), and Ms Sesilia Nekwaya (Financial Inclusion Strategy Peer Learning).
Namibia’s biggest lender and financial services provider, FNB Namibia, is deploying its innovative CashPlus technology at the forum to demonstrate the impact of extending banking services to underserved populations to a global audience.
FNB’s CashPlus is a revolutionary community-based banking solution that enables approved local businesses to provide essential services without traditional bank branches. This service allows clients to deposit and withdraw cash, access funds from e-wallets, and purchase prepaid airtime and electricity through an extensive agency banking network.
