Africa-Press – Namibia. Beneficiaries of old-age pensions and social grants can expect reforms that will address issues affecting them.
These include protecting them from robberies on paydays and making grants more easily accessible through the digitalisation of payment systems.
During a recent stakeholder engagement in Keetmanshoop, Albert Biwa, Deputy Director for the Department of Social Assistance within the Ministry of Finance, said the Bank of Namibia is currently working on a digital payment solution system to be implemented in February 2026.
“We do not want our senior and vulnerable citizens to be subjected to robberies when receiving their monthly social grants, hence the need to change payments from cash to electronic,” he explained.
Biwa added that government will implement a money-wallet system and introduce point of sales machines at strategic shops and business outlets in rural areas, whereby these beneficiaries can then withdraw funds easier, saving on transport costs and bank charges.
In terms of difficulty experienced by beneficiaries living in areas where NamPost payment services are not available, he explained that plans are on the way to put up satellite offices at such places and also investigate the possibility to visit such places by road.
Another major change to be implemented is that pension-and-social grant beneficiaries getting paid in cash will, as from 01 October 2025, no longer receive it as such, as is currently the case with the Epupa company cash-from-car system.
“The current contract with Epupa will end on 30 September 2025, and the service provider (Epupa) will, during September this year, pay the grants for both September and October to ensure a smooth transitioning of such payments from them back to the government,” Biwa explained further.
He then urged all beneficiaries to register with the identified institution during October 2025 for purposes of receiving their payments from such with effect from November 2025.
He also said that, as a measure to reduce long queues during payment dates, old-age pensions will be paid during the first week of each month from Monday-Wednesday, whilst those receiving disability and children’s grants will be assisted from Thursdays-Saturdays.
The deputy director added that these arrangements will be implemented as from 1 November 2025.
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