What Agribank of Namibia does

Agribank of Namibia is a State-Owned Enterprise operating as Namibia's specialized agricultural development bank, established under the Agricultural Bank of Namibia Act No. 5 of 2003 with origins tracing back to 1907. The institution provides affordable and innovative financial solutions to the agricultural sector through a comprehensive loan portfolio covering farmland purchase, livestock, crop production, infrastructure, equipment, aquaculture, alternative energy, and biomass financing, with interest rates tiered by borrower category ranging from 4% for communal farmers and land-reform beneficiaries (PSSF, AALS) up to 8.50% for commercial farmers. Agribank serves five primary customer segments — commercial farmers, communal farmers, emerging/resettled farmers, youth (Agri-Pioneer, ages 18-35), and women (Agri-Women, over 35) — distributing these products through 8 regional branches across Namibia supplemented by downloadable application forms on its corporate website and advisory services including mentorship and training.

The bank's core operations are deeply intertwined with Namibian government agricultural policy. It administers flagship state programs including the Green Scheme irrigation policy (~22,000 hectares targeted), the Post Settlement Support Fund (PSSF) under MoU with the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement, and the !Aimab Superfarm dairy project co-financed with the Development Bank of Namibia. Distribution is exclusively domestic, executed through branch-based in-person loan officers using a mix of traditional collateral, off-take agreements, payroll deductions, tripartite arrangements, and a voucher system at certain irrigation projects for small-scale farmers. The business model generates revenue primarily through net interest margin on the agricultural loan book, augmented by credit life insurance, advisory services, and government-subsidized scheme administration, though revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Agribank is currently in a transition phase marked by leadership succession (CEO Robert Eiman effective July 2026, succeeding Dr Raphael Karuaihe), the launch of an Arrears Relief Programme (100% penalty interest write-off, effective February 2026), and a Board-directed organisational transformation. Despite the 115-year institutional history and statutory monopoly on agricultural development banking, the bank faces structural challenges including drought-driven loan distress, low agricultural productivity, and fragmented value chains that the incoming leadership has been explicitly mandated to address.

Name

Agribank of Namibia

Legal name

Agricultural Bank of Namibia

Website

https://agribank.com.na

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Agribank of Namibia is a State-Owned agricultural development bank, established under statute, that provides subsidized and market-rate loan products (farmland, livestock, production, equipment, biomass, insurance) to commercial, communal, emerging, youth, and women farmers across Namibia through 8 regional branches and government co-financing partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522), Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (522180)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Agricultural Services (700), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural & Rural Development Banks (FSABAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), Agricultural & Rural Microfinance (FSAKAGAG), Whole-Farm Business Management & Budgeting Advisory (AFACAJAA)

Keywords

• Agricultural lending
• Farm loans
• Agricultural financing
• Rural development banking
• Agricultural credit

Headquarters

HQ city

Windhoek

HQ country

Namibia

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Lending: Agribank generates revenue primarily through interest on agricultural loans provided to commercial farmers, communal farmers, emerging farmers, and resettled farmers for various agricultural purposes including livestock, crop production, farmland purchase, infrastructure, and equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Agribank of Namibia is a State-Owned Enterprise providing specialized agricultural financing solutions to farmers and agribusinesses across Namibia. Its core offering consists of a comprehensive suite of agricultural loan products covering production inputs, livestock, farmland acquisition, infrastructure, vehicles and equipment, and aquaculture, supplemented by targeted schemes for communal, emerging, resettled, youth, and women farmers at preferential or subsidized interest rates. The bank complements lending with credit life insurance tailored for agricultural borrowers and business advisory services including mentorship, training, and farming tips.

Product overview

Agribank of Namibia operates as a State-Owned Enterprise providing financial services to the agricultural sector through a comprehensive portfolio of loan products and schemes. The product suite includes: core agricultural financing products (Production Loans, Livestock Loans, Poultry Loans, Vehicle and Tractor Loans, Infrastructure & Implement Loans, Horticulture Production Loans, Farmland Purchase Loans); specialized schemes targeting specific demographics (Affirmative Action Loan Scheme for previously disadvantaged communities, Agri-Women Scheme for women farmers, Agri-Pioneer Scheme for youth, Salary-Backed Scheme for part-time farmers); agricultural development initiatives (Green Scheme for irrigation projects, Post Settlement Support Fund for resettled farmers, North-South Incentive Scheme for cattle movement, Draught Animal Power Acceleration Programme for smallholders); sustainable and alternative energy products (Biomass Financing Scheme, Solar Farm Systems); and supplementary services (Credit Life Insurance, Loan Consolidation Facility). The bank also operates the Arrears Relief Programme for clients facing repayment difficulties and has made strategic investments such as the Dairy Farm Superfarm project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Production Loan Production loan facility for acquisition of seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, weeding, fuel and oil, transportation costs, wages for temporary workers, lease of grazing, licks, veterinary medicine, horticulture and micro-irrigation. Repayable in one year and revoluble for 5 years. Interest rate is 4% for communal farmers and 8.50% for commercial farmers.
• Livestock Loans Facility for the farming community to purchase livestock to stock or restock the land to full production capacity. Large stock loans are repayable over ten years and small stock loans over eight years.
• Poultry Loans Facility for purchasing or raising birds such as chicken, ostriches, and ducks. Repayable within five years.
• Aquaculture Loans Government-acknowledged sector financing for aquaculture development covering freshwater and marine aquaculture, including short-term, medium-term, and long-term loans for working capital, equipment, brood-stock, and land purchases.
• Purchase of Farmland Loans for purchasing farmland and/or additional land for agriculture-related activities, tailored for well-established commercial farmers. Repayable over 25 years for farmland and 20 years for additional farmland.
• Infrastructure & Implement Loan Facility Loans for acquiring new equipment and implements such as irrigation equipment, boreholes, windmills, dams, water pumps, combine harvesters, generators, ploughing equipment, fencing, hammer mills, mahangu threshers, silos, and processing equipment.
• Vehicle and Tractor Loans Loans for purchasing new and second-hand vehicles such as light delivery vans, trailers, small trucks and tractors, with repayment periods ranging from 3 to 10 years depending on the item.
• Alternative Energy - Solar Farm Systems Financing facility for purchasing and installation of alternative energy sources for agricultural purposes including solar electricity, solar heating systems, solar geysers, solar water heaters, solar water pumps, and generators.
• Horticulture Production Loan Facility Agronomic production loans for small scale farmers and corporate projects which are seasonal and repayable within one year, revoluble up to five years. Covers seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation equipment, and wages.
• Labourers Houses Construction Loans Facility for commercial farmers for construction of labourers houses at 4% interest rate with maximum qualifying amount of N$75,000 per unit, minimum of two rooms with bathing and ablution facilities.
• Loan Consolidation Facility Relief mechanism that combines several existing loans into a new bigger loan from a single lender, repayable over 10 to 25 years, including taking over of debts from other financial institutions.
• Draught Animal Power Acceleration Programme (DAPAP) Affordable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly technology using cattle, donkeys, and horses for ploughing, weeding, transportation, and harvesting, targeted at smallholder farmers in communal areas.
• Bush Encroachment/Deforestation Scheme Scheme aimed at combating bush encroachment in Namibia, enabling present land units that are uneconomical to manage to be changed into economical units. Maximum repayment period of 15 years.
• Affirmative Action Loan Scheme (AALS) Supports emerging commercial farmers from previously disadvantaged communities as part of Namibia's land reform program, enabling eligible individuals to acquire farmland in commercial areas with loan terms up to 25 years secured by mortgage bond. Full-time farmers receive 3-year grace periods with escalating interest.
• Post Settlement Support Fund (PSSF) Funding scheme established by Ministry of Land Reform and Agribank for resettled farmers to enhance agricultural productivity at a 4% fixed interest rate per annum, covering crop production, machines and infrastructure, large stock, small stock, draught animals, and poultry.
• Salary-Backed Scheme Financial inclusion product providing finance access to salaried part-time commercial and communal farmers, and agribusiness ventures through salary-backed loans with terms between 12 and 60 months. Minimum lending rate of 8.50% with non-refundable administrative fee of N$150.00.
• Agri-Pioneer Scheme Affordable financing facility for youth aged 18 to 35 years designed to support innovative and entrepreneurial customers in agriculture, with loan limits of N$4 million for farmland and N$1 million for non-farmland and relaxed collateral requirements.
• Agri-Women Scheme Affordable financing facility with relaxed terms and conditions designed to promote women's inclusion in agriculture, targeting women over 35 years of age. Features off-take agreements and flexible grace periods.
• Biomass Financing Scheme Financing scheme supporting production and processing of biomass products and related activities for commercial and communal farmers, with a minimum lending rate of 7%, loan term between 2-6 years depending on loan type, and grace periods of 3 months (equipment/vehicles) or 6 months (other).
• North-South Incentive Scheme (N-SIS) Cabinet-approved scheme to mitigate veterinary restrictions on cattle movement north of the Veterinary Cordon Fence, helping farmers resettle on commercial farms south of the VCF with subsidies on disease-free cattle purchases.
• Credit Life Insurance Tailored insurance product designed specifically for agricultural borrowers, offering benefits to secure the financial future of agricultural ventures.
• Arrears Relief Programme Programme assisting clients who have fallen behind on their loan repayments, offering 100% write-off of penalty interest with participants required to pay 20-25% of their arrear balance and remaining amounts repayable over 60 months. Includes credit bureau de-listing and advisory services.
• Green Scheme Government policy for expanding and increasing food production under irrigation, with approximately 22,000 hectares targeted under irrigation along perennial rivers bordering Namibia. Includes projects at Etunda, Orange River Irrigation Project (Orip), and Ndongalinena, with N$3 million in administered loans to small-scale farmers via voucher system at Etunda.
• !Aimab Superfarm Dairy Investment Co-financing arrangement with Development Bank of Namibia for the !Aimab Superfarm in Mariental with roughly 2,000 cows, expected to double annual milk output to 24 million litres and create 120 direct permanent jobs plus approximately 600 throughout the dairy industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Arrears Relief Programme offering 100% write-off of penalty interest for eligible clients, with ring-fenced balances repayable over up to 60 months
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Lands and ResettlementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2009Memorandum of Understanding signed on February 17, 2009 to establish the Post Settlement Support Fund (PSSF) for resettled farmers. The Ministry and Agribank jointly enable resettled farmers to enhance agricultural productivity through subsidized financing.
• Development Bank of NamibiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-financing arrangement for the !Aimab Superfarm in Mariental where Agribank contributed N$26.4 million. This is Namibia's largest agro-industry project with approximately 2,000 cows, expected to double annual milk output to 24 million litres.
• Ministry of Agriculture, Water and ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry provides loan funding through Agribank for administration to small-scale farmers at irrigation schemes. Agribank administers N$3 million in loans for small-scale farmers using a voucher system at Etunda and other projects.
• Namibian National Farmers UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgricultural union representing farmers' interests in Namibia. Partnership supports CSR initiatives and farmer outreach programs.
• Namibia Agricultural UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgricultural union representing commercial farmers. Partnership supports agricultural development initiatives and farmer support programs.
• AGRAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlliance for a Green Revolution in Africa partnership supporting agricultural development initiatives in Namibia.
• GIZ: De-Bushing Advisory Services (DAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting bush encroachment management and biomass production initiatives as part of sustainable land management and rangeland improvement programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Land Bank (South Africa): Land Bank is South Africa's state-owned agricultural development bank, providing wholesale and retail financing to the agricultural sector — the closest functional and structural analogue to Agribank of Namibia in the region.
• Agricultural Development Bank of Ghana: State-owned agricultural development bank in Ghana providing credit, advisory, and training to farmers and agribusinesses — directly comparable mandate, product set (production loans, livestock, infrastructure), and state-owned structure.
• Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB): State-owned agricultural development bank in Tanzania mandated to deliver credit for smallholder farmers and agribusiness — comparable scale, institutional design, and focus on inclusive agricultural finance.
• Agricultural Finance Corporation (Kenya): Kenya's state-owned agricultural finance institution providing credit, guaranteed minimum returns, and seasonal crop loans to farmers — comparable product mix (production loans, livestock, farm inputs) and developmental mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Development Bank of Namibia: Namibia's national development finance institution, active in agricultural co-financing with Agribank (e.g., !Aimab Superfarm) and competing for larger agro-industrial mandates — a same-market counterparty with overlapping development-banking mandate.

Others

• First National Bank of Namibia: One of Namibia's largest commercial banks, an indirect competitor to Agribank in commercial-farmer lending and the prior employer of incoming CEO Robert Eiman — relevant context for executive benchmarking and commercial-bank competition.
• Bank Windhoek: Namibia's largest locally owned commercial bank, with a growing agricultural finance book — competes with Agribank for established commercial farmers and corporate agribusiness in the same domestic market.
• Nampost (PostFin): State-owned postal and financial services group in Namibia where incoming Agribank CEO Robert Eiman previously served as CEO — adjacent Namibian state-owned financial institution with microfinance exposure.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/agribanknamibia
• Facebookfacebook.com/AgribankNamibia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agricultural-bank-of-namibia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Agribank of Namibia