The Bank of Namibia has won the Artificial Intelligence Initiative Award at the 2026 Central Banking Awards in London, in recognition of its use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to strengthen policymaking, banking sector supervision and operational efficiency.
The award, presented by Central Banking Publications, recognises central banks that have successfully implemented innovative technologies to improve decision-making and institutional effectiveness.
The Bank of Namibia was recognised for several AI-driven solutions developed in-house, including a predictive model for non-performing loans that provides early warning signals of potential banking sector risks, an inflation nowcasting system that generates near real-time inflation estimates to support monetary policy decisions, and a Regulatory Navigation Tool designed to improve access to regulatory information.
The award was accepted on behalf of the central bank by Director of Strategy, Projects and Transformation Valeria Mbango and Deputy Director of Digital Transformation and Innovation Olivia Haenert.
The recognition comes as the Bank accelerates the adoption of emerging technologies to enhance financial sector oversight and modernise its operations.
Beyond its internal digital transformation initiatives, the central bank has also invested in developing local artificial intelligence capabilities through the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Accelerator Laboratory, established in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).
The facility aims to support research, innovation and skills development in artificial intelligence and robotics while helping to build a pipeline of local technology talent.
During the awards programme, Mbango joined central banking leaders from around the world in a panel discussion examining the growing role of artificial intelligence in central banking operations.
The discussion focused on how AI is being applied in economic research, forecasting, financial supervision, payments oversight and market surveillance, while highlighting the need for strong governance frameworks and human oversight.
