Windhoek: Financial inclusion in Namibia has increased to 86.0% of the adult population, up from 78.0% recorded in 2017, according to the 2025 Namibia Financial Inclusion Survey released on Wednesday.According to Namibia Press Agency, at the launch of the survey, Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) Statistician-General and Chief Executive Officer Alex Shimuafeni stated that approximately 1,563,688 adults aged 15 years and above are now financially included. "The survey provides critical evidence that will inform the implementation of the Namibia Financial Sector Transformation Strategy 2025-2035, strengthen financial sector policies, support product innovation and guide interventions aimed at expanding access to affordable and appropriate financial services for all Namibians," Shimuafeni said.Despite the improvement, the survey found that 14.0% of adults remain financially excluded, although this represents a decline from the 22.0% recorded in 2017. The findings further show that financial inclusion remains h igher in urban areas, where 91.7% of adults are financially included, compared to 79.3% in rural areas.Access to banking services also remains uneven. While 40.1% of urban residents can reach a bank within 30 minutes, only 5.7% of rural residents can do so. The survey found that women continue to record higher financial inclusion than men, with 87.6% of women financially included compared to 84.2% of men.Conducted in accordance with the Statistics Act of 2011, the survey targeted people aged 15 years and above living in private households across all 14 regions. It is the fifth national financial inclusion survey undertaken by the NSA, following similar surveys conducted in 2004, 2007, 2011, and 2017. Shimuafeni said the findings will support policymakers, financial institutions, and development partners in designing evidence-based interventions aimed at improving access to affordable financial services and strengthening financial inclusion in Namibia.