About Us
IPN: The Company behind It All
About us
Who We Are
- Operator of Namibia's National Instant Payment Solution
- Not-for-profit subsidiary of the Bank of Namibia
- Delivers safe, affordable, and interoperable real-time payments for all Namibians
- Enables seamless transactions across banks, e-money (electronic money) issuers, and payment service providers
Why Instant Payments Matter
Payment system reform
IPN operates the national infrastructure that:
- Enables real-time, affordable digital payments.
- Connects banks, electronic money issuers and approved payment providers.
- Promotes interoperability across Namibia's payment ecosystem.
- Expands access to inclusive digital financial services.
- Operates trusted infrastructure supported by robust governance and security.
While Namibia's payment ecosystem has evolved significantly, many people and businesses still face barriers such as cost, limited interoperability and fragmented payment systems. IPN addresses these challenges by operating a shared national infrastructure that enables secure, instant and inclusive digital payments.
Our Mandate and Principles
Guided by a Clear Public Interest Mandate
Interoperability
All participants connect through a single national solution, enabling seamless payments across banks and non-banks.
Affordability
Transaction costs are designed to remain low to support everyday use by individuals and small businesses.
Inclusion
The system is designed to work across smartphones, basic mobile phones, and traditional banking channels.
Safety and Trust
Strong risk management, fraud controls, and regulatory compliance are embedded into the solution.
Neutrality
IPN operates as an independent scheme and infrastructure provider, supporting competition and innovation across the ecosystem.
Governance and Oversight
Operating Within Namibia's Payment System
IPN operates within Namibia's National Payment System in accordance with applicable legislation, regulations and standards issued by the Bank of Namibia.
- Close collaboration with banks, non-bank financial institutions, payment service providers, and mobile network operators
- Partnership with government institutions and industry bodies to maintain system resilience and security
- Clear accountability and transparency through governance structures that protect Namibia's critical financial infrastructure
What We Do
Operating Namibia's Instant Payment Infrastructure
IPN enables a growing range of digital payment use cases, including:
- 24/7 real-time payments across participating institutions
- Person-to-Person (P2P) payments
- Payments-to-Business and Merchants
- Government-to-Person (G2P) disbursements such as grants
- Business-to-Person (B2P) payments such as salaries and reimbursements
- Cash-in and Cash-out through merchants
- Cash withdrawals from digital wallets at ATMs
Looking Ahead
Building Towards a More Inclusive Digital Economy
Instant Payments Namibia provides the foundation for a more connected and inclusive digital economy. As adoption grows, the platform will continue to support innovation across merchant payments, government services, open banking and future digital financial solutions.
Our long-term objective is simple but ambitious: to make instant, affordable, and interoperable digital payments available to every Namibian, wherever they live and however they choose to transact.
Our History
How We Got Here
Research & Vision
- The Bank of Namibia initiated research and international benchmarking to explore the future of instant payments in Namibia.
- Industry engagement and strategic planning laid the foundation for the Instant Payments Programme (IPP).
Programme Initiation & Design
- The Instant Payments Programme (IPP) was formally launched under the Bank of Namibia.
- Instant Payments Namibia (IPN) was incorporated as the scheme operator.
- Functional, technical and regulatory design activities commenced.
- The operating model for Namibia's instant payments ecosystem was established.
Build & Ecosystem Readiness
- Industry participant onboarding commenced across the financial sector.
- Operational frameworks and participant readiness activities progressed.
- Certification, integration and ecosystem preparation advanced ahead of national testing.
- IPN became operational as Namibia's national instant payments scheme operator.
Testing, Launch & Rollout
- Industry testing across participating institutions commenced.
- Successful launch of Government-to-Person (G2P) payments through WayaMe.
- Phased rollout of additional payment use cases across the ecosystem.
- Ongoing ecosystem expansion as new participants and services come online.
