Namibia Launches $23M Financing Facility for Women-Owned Businesses
Namibia has launched DBN For Her, a dedicated financing facility for 100% women-owned enterprises, backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) programme. Officially unveiled in Windhoek, the initiative offers a total line of credit of ZAR 1.5 billion (approximately $88 million), with ZAR 400 million ($23.3 million) ring-fenced specifically for women-led small, medium, and large enterprises. The AfDB has contributed N$400 million (around $23.5 million) to the facility, with a further ZAR 40 million in blended finance allocated to reduce borrowing costs and provide technical assistance.
The facility targets enterprises employing between 5 and 300 people, offering loans from N$150,000 to N$10 million ($8,100 – $539,000) at the prime interest rate, with a 12-month interest-free grace period. The initiative responds to a significant financing gap: despite Namibia's strong Gender Development Index ranking, an estimated 22,000 women-owned businesses remain underserved, with an unmet financing need of $195 million. Between 2006 and February 2026, only 14.12% of the Development Bank of Namibia's total funding reached fully women-owned enterprises. Minister of Finance Ericah Shafudah described the programme as central to ensuring women become "active drivers of economic growth, job creation, and national development."
Source: Efficacy News Africa
