Reliance on credit and borrowing increased to 49% in 2025
Namibians’ reliance on credit and borrowing has increased significantly, with nearly half of adults reporting that they borrowed money in 2025, mainly to meet essential household needs such as food, education and transport, according to the latest Namibia Financial Inclusion Survey (NFIS).
CHAMWE KAIRA
Namibians’ reliance on credit and borrowing has increased significantly, with nearly half of adults reporting that they borrowed money in 2025, mainly to meet essential household needs such as food, education and transport, according to the latest Namibia Financial Inclusion Survey (NFIS).
NSA statistician-general and chief executive officer Alex Shimuafeni said the survey provides critical evidence to guide policy decisions, support financial sector innovation and strengthen interventions aimed at improving access to financial services for all Namibians.
The 2025 NFIS, released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) on Wednesday, found that the proportion of adults who borrowed money increased to 49.0% in 2025, up from 42.1% in 2017, highlighting growing demand for credit among households.
According to the survey, borrowing was largely driven by day-to-day financial pressures, with 51.3% of borrowers using funds for food, followed by education (22.1%) and transport expenses (16.4%).
