An update on Namibia’s digital infrastructure and legal framework

Over the past few months, that motion has become visible. Between June and September 2026, Namibia launched a national instant payment system, switched on a national digital trust infrastructure and brought into force the long-awaited electronic signature and accreditation provisions of the Electronic Transactions Act 4 of 2019 (ETA). Taken together, these developments lay the payment, identity and legal rails on which Namibia’s digital economy can be built.

WayaMe: Instant, interoperable payments

WayaMe is the consumer-facing brand of Namibia’s Instant Payment Solution, operated by Instant Payments Namibia, under the oversight of the Bank of Namibia. WayaMe is a national payment infrastructure that allows money to move instantly between participating banks, e-money wallets and other payment providers. Namibians will continue to use their existing banking apps, wallets or USSD services, but will be able to pay someone who banks elsewhere: bank-to-bank, bank-to-wallet, wallet-to-bank and wallet-to-wallet.

The rollout is phased. Over time, WayaMe is expected to support person-to-person transfers, merchant and business payments, government-to-person payments such as grants and pensions, and cash withdrawals from any wallet at any ATM. For a country where a significant share of economic activity remains informal and cash-based, affordable and interoperable instant payments could meaningfully widen participation in the formal economy.

DigiNam: Digital trust as national infrastructure

WayaMe moves money, DigiNam establishes who is on the other side of the transaction. Launched in August 2026 by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), DigiNam is the public face of Namibia’s National Public Key Infrastructure. CRAN serves as the national Root Certification Authority, the highest point of trust from which accredited digital certificates can be validated.

In practical terms, DigiNam enables verified digital identities, secure authentication and legally recognised electronic signatures. Namibians can expect this to underpin e-government services, remote customer onboarding, online banking, electronic contracting, business registration and the management of health and education records. The longer-term promise is fewer queues, fewer repeat visits and less duplicated paperwork, as institutions become able to verify identities and documents securely online. The next phase will focus on integrating high-impact public services and driving adoption in the private sector, particularly financial services.

The legal backbone

Although most of the ETA commenced in March 2020, section 20 (electronic signatures) and Chapter 5 (accreditation of security services and products) were held back until 15 June 2026 (GN 182/2026). Section 20 provides that a reference in any law, contract or other legal instrument to a signature includes a recognised electronic signature, unless a contrary intention appears or the relevant process is incompatible with electronic signing. Importantly, parties remain free to agree on other forms of electronic signature.

Two sets of regulations now give this framework practical effect. The Electronic Signature Regulations (GN 335 of 2025) establish, in effect, a tiered approach. Basic electronic signatures, such as typed names, scanned signatures, biometrics and one-time PINs, are recognised where they satisfy the positive act and evidentiary requirements. Where a law requires a signature without specifying its type, an advanced electronic signature will suffice and is presumed valid and properly applied unless the contrary is proved.

At the top tier, a recognised electronic signature is an advanced electronic signature created with a subscriber certificate issued by an accredited certification service provider following a prescribed identification process. The regulations also allocate responsibility among signers, certification service providers and relying parties, and allow foreign signatures and certificates to be recognised where they offer an equivalent level of reliability.

The Accreditation Regulations prohibit anyone from providing certification services without accreditation by CRAN. They prescribe the application process, a four-year accreditation period, annual fees, certification practice statements, independent audits and a public database of accredited providers.

Foreign providers may be recognised in Namibia if they are licensed in their home jurisdiction, meet Namibian and international standards and appoint a suitable local agent. This opens a formal route for advanced electronic signature platforms, both local and international, to be accredited and to operate in the Namibian market.

Conclusion

WayaMe, DigiNam and the ETA framework are foundational infrastructure rather than finished products, and much of their value will depend on uptake by banks, fintechs, government agencies and businesses.

They do, however, resolve long-standing gaps: interoperable payments, trusted digital identity and legal certainty for electronic signatures. Namibians can expect a wave of new products and services to come to market on these rails, including remote account opening, fully electronic contracting and digital public services. Businesses would do well to review their signing, onboarding and record-keeping processes now, so that they are ready to take advantage of them.