Development Bank of Namibia

What Development Bank of Namibia does

Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) is a state-owned development finance institution incorporated in 2004 in Windhoek, Namibia, operating under the Public Enterprise Governance Act No. 1 of 2019 (PEGA) with full ownership held by the Ministry of Finance. Its mandate is to provide medium- to long-term financing for projects that commercial banks will not support, particularly higher-risk SMEs, women and youth entrepreneurs, contractors with awarded tenders, local-authority infrastructure, and renewable-energy projects. The bank operates from a five-branch network (Windhoek HQ, Windhoek SME Centre, Ongwediva, Rundu, Walvis Bay) plus an online client portal, and reaches customers through enterprise field sales and partnerships with FNB, Standard Bank, microfinance intermediaries, and local authorities. Its Fitch local-currency rating of AA places it in the investment-grade tier.

DBN's product suite is organised around three layers: (i) sector-specific lending vehicles covering Agri-Entreprises, Energy (including renewable-energy utilities and photovoltaic plants), Land & Housing, Local Authority infrastructure, Mining and Quarrying, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, and Tourism & Hospitality; (ii) targeted inclusive-lending programmes including DBN For Her (N$150,000–N$10M for 100% women-owned enterprises with a 12-month grace period), the National Youth Development Fund (across all 14 regions), Young Artisans and Young Professionals (N$50,000 minimum, no collateral required), and the Credit Guarantee Scheme underwritten by NASRIA and distributed via FNB and Standard Bank; and (iii) instrument types such as Bridging, Contract/Tender-Based, Asset-Backed, Property Development, Business Acquisition, Invoice Discounting, PPP, and Business Recovery finance (KfW-backed at 5.925% fixed). Underlying platform capabilities include an Environmental and Social Management System (the first in a Namibian financial institution), an Enterprise Risk Management System, a loan-processing system, and procurement-management tooling.

The bank's commercial model relies on loan interest income from disbursements, performance- guarantee fees (1.5% per quarter), and capital raised through NSX-listed bonds (N$700M serviced) and large concessional facilities — including a N$607M KfW Green Credit Line II, a N$1.5B AfDB sovereign-guaranteed facility, a N$400M AfDB contribution to DBN For Her, and a N$3B AfDB allocation for healthcare infrastructure. Loan repayments are recycled into additional lending with prudent reserves. By the 2019 financial year-end, cumulative loan disbursements had reached N$8.8 billion against total assets of N$9.7 billion, with the 2024/25 financial year delivering a 42% increase in operating profit to N$88.3 million and N$912.7 million in new funding approvals across priority sectors.

Name

Development Bank of Namibia

Legal name

Development Bank of Namibia

Website

https://dbn.com.na

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) is a state-owned development finance institution established in 2004 that provides concessional lending and financial services to SMEs, women entrepreneurs, youth, local authorities, and large-infrastructure projects across Namibia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Infrastructure & Project Finance Development Banks (FSABAKAD), SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), Private Sector & Blended Finance Arms (IFC-type) (BPADACAJ)

Keywords

• Development finance
• SME loans
• Infrastructure financing
• Women entrepreneur loans
• Youth development finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Windhoek

HQ country

Namibia

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Primary revenue from interest on disbursed loans. The bank operates a commercial model where loan repayment with interest is reallocated to additional lending with portions set aside for reserves.
2. Bond Programme: DBN issues bonds listed on the NSX (Namibia Stock Exchange) to raise capital. The bank services N$700 million in bonds with negotiations for additional subscriptions.
3. Development Funding Facilities: DBN accesses international development funding through facilities like KfW Green Credit Line II (N$607 million), African Development Bank sovereign-guaranteed facility (N$1.5 billion), and Green Climate Fund accreditation for climate finance.
4. Guarantee Fees: Performance guarantees charged at 1.5% of guarantee amount per quarter for clients obtaining bank guarantees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Development Bank of Namibia is a state-owned development finance institution providing medium to long-term loans, sector-specific financing, guarantee schemes, and bond programmes to SMEs, entrepreneurs, contractors, local authorities, and infrastructure projects across Namibia. It also runs targeted programs for women (DBN For Her), youth (NYDF, Young Artisans, Young Professionals), and climate-related projects, supplemented by mentoring and coaching services.

Product overview

Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) is a development finance institution offering a comprehensive suite of financing products and services for SMEs, larger enterprises, infrastructure development, PPPs, and public sector entities. The portfolio includes sector-specific financing (Agri-Entreprises, Energy, Manufacturing, Mining, Tourism, Transport & Logistics, Contractors), targeted programmes (SME Finance, DBN For Her for women entrepreneurs, National Youth Development Fund, Young Artisans, Young Professionals), and financial products (Bridging Finance, Business Finance, Property Development Finance, Project & Franchise Finance, Local Authority Finance, PPP Finance, Micro Lenders' Finance). The Bank provides supplementary support through Mentoring & Coaching services via its National Mentoring and Coaching Unit (MCU). DBN operates from its core mandate of sustainable socio-economic development in Namibia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DBN For Her: A dedicated women entrepreneurs financing facility by Development Bank of Namibia, specifically designed to empower 100% women-owned enterprises through accessible, responsive, and development-focused finance. Loan amounts range from N$150,000 to N$10 million, offered at prime interest rates with a 12-month grace period.

Products and services

• SME Finance
• DBN For Her
• National Youth Development Fund (NYDF)

Quantifiable outcome

• N$912.7 million in funding approved across priority sectors in 2024/25
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• First National Bank of Namibia (FNB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFNB is a participating commercial bank for the Credit Guarantee Scheme, providing 60% collateral cover for qualifying SMEs that lack traditional collateral.
• Standard Bank of NamibiacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStandard Bank is a participating commercial bank for the Credit Guarantee Scheme, providing 60% collateral cover for qualifying SMEs.
• NASRIA Ltd.minorOthersNASRIA underwrites the Credit Guarantee Scheme for participating financial institutions, providing credit insurance for qualifying SME loans.
• Namibia Innovation HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamibia Innovation Hub is an initiative of BFS and NIPDB to create enabling environment for start-ups. DBN is considered a key partner in mentoring startups and clients.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• African Development Bank (AfDB): Multilateral development bank providing sovereign-guaranteed facilities to African DFIs (N$1.5B facility to DBN). Comparable as a counterparty and as a broader development-finance incumbent that could alternatively lend directly to government.
• Land and Agricultural Bank of South Africa (Land Bank): South African state-owned agricultural DFI providing wholesale and retail development finance to the agriculture sector. Comparable to DBN's Agri-Entrepreneurs product line and government-backed development-finance model.
• KfW Group: German state development bank and one of DBN's largest funders (KfW Green Credit Line II N$607M, Business Recovery Loans). Comparable as a development finance peer and a key counterparty shaping DBN's funding economics.

Direct peers

• Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC): State-owned South African DFI financing industrial and enterprise development across mining, manufacturing, agro-processing and renewables. Highly comparable to DBN in sector coverage, patient-capital approach and target borrower profile.
• Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA): South Africa's state-owned development finance institution providing infrastructure and development funding across SADC. Closely comparable to DBN in mandate (development finance), shareholder structure (government-owned) and product mix (infrastructure, SME, project finance).

Regional players

• Agribank of Namibia: Namibia's state-owned agricultural finance institution and a fellow domestic development financier. Comparable to DBN as a local peer serving a complementary (agriculture) segment with similar state-ownership and development mandate.
• National Development Bank (Botswana): Botswana's national development finance institution offering SME, housing and project finance. Directly comparable to DBN as a fellow SADC national DFI with a similar SME-focused mandate.
• Development Finance Corporation (formerly IDC of Kenya): Kenya's state-owned industrial and development finance institution providing medium- and long-term credit to enterprises. Comparable in mandate and product architecture to DBN but operating in a different East African market.
• East African Development Bank (EADB): Regional multilateral development bank serving Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Comparable to DBN as a fellow African DFI focused on project, infrastructure and SME finance.

Others

• First National Bank of Namibia (FNB Namibia): Domestic commercial bank and a channel partner for DBN's Credit Guarantee Scheme. Comparable as a Namibian credit provider but operates a fundamentally different commercial-banking model and serves as a distribution partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@marketingdbn
• Facebookfacebook.com/developmentbanknamibia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/development-bank-of-namibia
• Instagraminstagram.com/developmentbankofnamibia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Development Bank of Namibia