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Namibia is projected to be removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list by May 2026, following substantial progress in rectifying deficiencies in its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) systems. According to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), the country has already addressed the majority of the strategic weaknesses identified by the FATF when it was placed under increased monitoring in February 2024.
At the FATF Plenary session held in Paris, France, Namibia’s third Progress Report—submitted in July 2025—was officially adopted on 24 October 2025. The global body commended Namibia for its timely and comprehensive corrective actions, crediting the achievement to a whole-of-government effort spearheaded by the Cabinet.
The FIC reported that Namibia has fully remediated 11 out of 13 deficiencies in its Action Plan. The remaining two areas—namely, sustaining higher levels of money laundering investigations and prosecutions, and strengthening the identification and investigation of terrorist financing activities—are currently being addressed and are expected to be resolved before 2026. “Namibia was praised for its strong political commitment and the swift pace of implementation, with most corrective measures completed within or even ahead of the agreed deadlines,” the FIC said.
The FIC emphasized that this progress reflects the country’s dedication to strengthening financial integrity and aligns with regional and continental priorities to combat illicit financial flows (IFFs). These efforts are also in line with Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which targets a reduction in illicit financial flows from 9% of GDP in 2024 to 5% by 2030, under the Economic Growth, Transformation, and Resilience pillar.
The National Coordination Committee, consisting of multiple ministries, offices, and agencies, continues to oversee the implementation of the Action Plan to ensure Namibia’s removal from the FATF grey list within the anticipated timeframe. Namibia’s progress mirrors a broader trend across Africa, where several nations have taken decisive action to strengthen their AML/CFT regimes following FATF monitoring.
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In the continental context, Namibia’s anticipated exit by May 2026 would position it among the few African nations that have demonstrated swift and comprehensive compliance with FATF standards. The country’s achievements underscore a growing recognition across Africa of the need for robust financial governance to attract investment, enhance transparency, and strengthen economic resilience.
