Namibia has emerged as one of Africa’s most progressive digital economies, taking a decisive lead in the continent’s shift toward real-time and seamless online payments.
The latest RMB Continent at a Crossroads White Paper identifies Namibia as the only African country to formally adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) through a government-to-government agreement in a move that places Windhoek at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation.
According to the white paper, the agreement between the Bank of Namibia and India’s National Payments Coordinator creates a pathway for instant, low-cost and real-time digital payments across borders.
“The Bank of Namibia has signed an agreement to integrate its Universal Payments Interface (UPI) for real-time digital payments, the only African country that has done this at the government level,” the report states.
RMB argues that Namibia’s leap reflects the type of practical, scalable innovation Africa needs to accelerate integration under the AfCFTA, reduce transaction costs and unlock new economic opportunities for small businesses and consumers.
Isaah Mhlanga, RMB's chief economist, hailed Namibia’s progress as embodying the urgency for African states to invest in digital public infrastructure.
“Africa’s potential fails to match reality. Mineral riches and vast arable land often do not translate into shared wealth. Practical reforms like Namibia’s show what is possible when countries prioritise technology, governance and integration,” said Mhlanga.
The report positions the SADC state’s digital strides alongside its climate-aligned industrial ambitions, particularly its integrated green hydrogen programme, considered one of the continent’s most advanced.
The hydrogen complex, combining renewable power, port expansion, desalination and rail upgrades, illustrates Africa’s capacity to develop large-scale and investment-ready climate projects.
Financing, however, remains a defining challenge for most countries across the continent. Africa needs about US$250 billion every year to meet its Paris Agreement commitments, but attracts only US$29.5 billion, most of it in the form of debt. The report warns that without bold structural reforms and digital-led growth, Africa risks falling further behind its development targets.
Still, RMB argues Namibia’s approach, which combines digital payments modernisation with green industrialisation, offers a replicable blueprint.
“Technology and innovation are central to Africa’s integration into the global economy. The challenge now is converting renewed global interest into lasting African agency,” stated Mhlanga.
The RMB demonstrates that as the AfCFTA’s Digital Trade Protocol gains traction, Namibia’s early leadership shows how African states can seize the moment and shape the continent’s digital and green economic future.
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