The Agricultural Bank of Namibia (Agribank) has announced the commencement of the implementation phase of its Arrears Relief Programme.
The programme, starting on 2 February 2026, was launched last year September, and is aimed at assisting clients who have fallen behind on their loan repayments.
The programme also seeks to strengthen the Bank’s loan recovery efforts through an incentivised and supportive approach.
“The programme is open to all Agribank clients whose accounts are in pre-legal or legal status,” said Agribank’s CEO Dr Raphael Karuaihe.
“Participating clients will benefit from a 100% write-off of penalty interest, subject to conditions.
“Pre-legal clients are required to pay at least 20% of their arrear balance (loan instalment and interest portion, excluding penalty interest), while legal clients must pay at least 25% of their arrear balance under the same terms.”
Additional benefits include de-listing from the credit bureau, where applicable, voluntary advisory services tailored to client needs, and, where suitable, opportunities for project publicity and marketing support.
“Once the required portion of the arrears is paid, the remaining arrear balance will be ring-fenced, and no further interest will be charged on that amount. The ring-fenced balance may be repaid for a period of up to 60 months, through equal monthly, quarterly, or bi-annual instalments.”
Clients will sign an addendum to the loan agreement to formalise the arrangement, and where legal actions have already been instituted, the repayment arrangement will be signed as an Order of Court.
“Clients must, however, continue to service all new and ongoing instalments as they fall due.
“Failure to honour the agreed repayment arrangement will result in the reinstatement of penalty interest and continuation of recovery processes.”
Defaulting on any other loan obligations may also lead to the revocation of relief benefits.
Karuaihe states that relief under this programme is granted once per client, unless otherwise revised.
The application window will run for six months from 2 February until 31 August 2026, and interested clients are advised to visit their nearest Agribank offices to apply within this period.
“Beyond the Arrears Relief Programme, Agribank continues to cushion farmers against challenges such as drought through climate responsive financing products, provision of advisory services to improve productivity, and collaboration with Government and other stakeholders on relief measures as and when required.
“These efforts aim to sustain farmers during difficult periods while ensuring sustainability of the Bank’s loan book.”
In the photo: Agribank’s CEO Dr Raphael Karuaihe.
