Staff Writer
Instant Payment Namibia (IPN) has announced the successful completion of pilot testing for Namibia’s Instant Payment Solution (IPS) in a live production environment, marking the final milestone before the phased rollout of the country’s new instant payment solution.
The pilot phase involved the successful processing of live transactions between the Bank of Namibia’s Currency Management and Banking Operations (CMBO) department and the first cohort of participating institutions, namely Bank Windhoek, Nampost and Letshego Bank Namibia.
The successful transfer and receipt of funds confirmed the platform’s operational readiness and demonstrated its ability to process instant payments securely and efficiently.
This milestone follows the completion of extensive development, testing and validation activities undertaken by the Bank of Namibia, Instant Payments Namibia (IPN) and participating institutions to ensure that the solution is robust, secure and ready for implementation.
Commenting on the achievement, the chief operating officer of Instant Payments Namibia (IPN), Marsorry Ickua, said: “The successful completion of pilot testing represents a significant milestone in Namibia’s payments modernisation journey. For the first time, we have demonstrated instant payments operating successfully in a live production environment, confirming that the solution is ready for implementation. This brings us one step closer to delivering a payment experience that is faster, more convenient and more
accessible for all Namibians.”
Following the successful pilot, the solution will now be introduced through a controlled and phased rollout.
The initial phase of implementation will support the Government-to-Person (G2P) use case, enabling participating institutions to receive and disburse government social grant payments through the platform.
The subsequent phases post G2P go-live, will be to enable the remaining use cases that aim to provide the public with greater choice, convenience and accessibility while supporting financial inclusion.
Ickua extended appreciation to Bank Windhoek, Nampost, Letshego Bank Namibia, the Bank of Namibia’s CMBO department, its technology partner NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and all stakeholders involved in reaching this important milestone.
“Their collaboration and commitment continue to play a critical role in advancing a more connected and inclusive payment ecosystem for Namibia,” said Ickua.
The Instant Payments Solution is a breakthrough initiative set to revolutionise financial services across Namibia.
The solution aims to expand financial inclusion by providing essential, affordable financial services to all, whilst focusing on the rural and informal sectors, which face logistical and financial challenges in accessing conventional banking services.
