Namibia Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Namibia Business

TL;DR. Namibia’s official business registry is the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), accessible at bipa.na. Basic company search is free and requires no account; the portal has a reasonably functional English-language interface. BIPA covers both business and IP registration in a combined authority. Namibia is not on the FATF grey list and maintains relatively strong governance indicators for sub-Saharan Africa. BIPA is one of the better-maintained registries in the region.

What is the official Namibia business registry?

Namibia’s company and business registry is administered by the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), established under the Business and Intellectual Property Authority Act 8 of 2016. BIPA operates as a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, consolidating business registration and intellectual property registration into a single authority.

BIPA replaced the previous business registration function held by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and introduced a dedicated, digitally-oriented authority model. The BIPA portal at bipa.na enables company searches, business name searches, and registration services for both residents and foreign users.

Legal entity types registered with BIPA under the Companies Act 28 of 2004 include: private companies (Pty Ltd), public companies, close corporations (CC), external companies (branches of foreign companies), and non-profit companies. Close corporations were phased out for new formations but existing CCs remain active and registered. The Companies Act is currently under reform; a new Companies Bill has been drafted to align with modern international standards. [VERIFY: current status of Companies Act reform and any new entity types.]

Namibia uses the Namibian Dollar (NAD), which is pegged 1:1 to the South African Rand (ZAR). Namibia is a member of the Common Monetary Area (CMA) alongside South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. NAD/USD exchange rates track ZAR/USD directly.

What can you search?

BIPA’s online portal supports searches by:

• Company name (full or partial)
• Registration number
• Director name (for director-linked searches)
• Close corporation member name

Results typically include: entity name, registration number, legal form (Pty Ltd, CC, external company), date of registration, and status (active, deregistered, in liquidation). More detailed information including directors and shareholders may require an official extract.

[VERIFY: current availability of director and shareholder data in the BIPA public portal, as portal features have been periodically enhanced.]

Data freshness follows BIPA’s online filing system. New registrations and changes processed through the online portal are typically reflected within 1-3 business days. Pre-digital historical records have been progressively migrated; older entities may have variable online record completeness.

How much does it cost?

[VERIFY: current BIPA fee schedule at bipa.na.] NAD/USD: approximately 1 USD = 18-19 NAD (May 2026, pegged to ZAR; verify at Bank of Namibia, bon.com.na). The NAD peg to ZAR is maintained through CMA arrangement.

Do you need a local account or ID?

No. The BIPA public search is accessible to international users without registration or a Namibian national ID. Account creation is required for online filing services (company formation, annual return filing) but not for compliance-grade entity searches.

For certified extract requests through the BIPA portal, an account may be required. For urgent or complex requests, a Windhoek-based legal representative can process requests directly with BIPA.

Is the website in English?

Yes. English is Namibia’s official language of government and commerce; BIPA operates entirely in English. All portal navigation, company data, legal form labels, status fields, and official documents are in English. Namibia’s registry is among the most accessible for international compliance buyers in sub-Saharan Africa.

What’s the turnaround time?

Basic name searches on the BIPA portal are instant. Certified extract requests processed through the portal or at BIPA’s Windhoek office typically take 3 to 7 business days for standard processing. BIPA has invested in digital processing capability; turnaround is generally more predictable than in lower-capacity registries. Expedited processing may be available for an additional fee.

Is there an API?

No formal public API is available for BIPA data as of May 2026. [VERIFY: current API availability.] Compliance platforms requiring automated Namibia entity lookups must rely on manual portal searches or a local data partner.

What you legally cannot do

Namibia’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA, modeled on South Africa’s POPIA) governs use of personal data in registry filings. Director names, residential addresses, and shareholder details extracted from BIPA records may not be used for unsolicited marketing. Bulk commercial extraction and redistribution of BIPA data without authorization is not permitted. Document the purpose of any registry access for AML/KYC audit trail requirements.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Registration number is the anchor identifier. Namibian company registration numbers are issued by BIPA at formation and are stable across name changes. Collect the registration number from any counterparty documentation and search by it rather than name alone.
• CC vs. Pty Ltd. Namibia’s close corporation (CC) structure remains active for pre-existing entities, despite closure to new formations. CCs have member (not shareholder) structures and lighter annual reporting obligations. When reviewing a CC counterparty, request the founding statement and any amendments in addition to the basic BIPA record.
• FATF status. Namibia is not on the FATF grey list and has not been under FATF increased monitoring as of May 2026. [VERIFY: current FATF status at fatf-gafi.org.] Standard CDD applies. Namibia’s AML/CFT framework is assessed by the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), a FATF-style regional body.
• Mining sector. Namibia has material uranium, diamond (Namdeb), and manganese mining operations. Companies in extractive industries and related logistics may have complex ownership structures involving state-owned enterprises (Epangelo Mining), international mining majors, and joint ventures. Standard UBO verification is important for mining-sector counterparties.
• Fisheries sector. Namibia’s fishing industry is economically material; the “Fishrot” corruption scandal (2019-2020) involving illegal fishing licenses and bribes implicated major companies and government officials. Apply enhanced scrutiny for counterparties in the fishing and marine resources sector.
• South Africa nexus. Many Namibian companies have South African shareholders, directors, or parent companies. Namibia’s CMA membership and ZAR parity mean South African registry (CIPC) verification may be warranted alongside BIPA for entities with material South African links.

Alternatives if you cannot access BIPA directly

• BIPA portal (bipa.na): primary and most reliable source. Free for basic searches.
• Aggregator search: OpenCorporates has some Namibia coverage but may lag official data. Treat as indicative only.
• Local legal firms in Windhoek: recommended for complex ownership structures, certified extracts, and older CC records.

Local data suppliers

• TransUnion Namibia: TransUnion operates credit reporting services in Namibia covering individual and some commercial credit data. Use when you need payment behavior or credit risk data on top of the BIPA registry record. [VERIFY: current TransUnion Namibia commercial product availability at transunion.co.na.]

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Namibia registry directly?

Yes. The BIPA public portal (bipa.na) is fully accessible to international users without registration or a Namibia account for basic searches. Certified extracts may require portal account creation or a local agent.

What is the registration number format in Namibia?

Namibian company registration numbers follow a year-based format (CC or Pty Ltd designation + number + year). BIPA issues the number at registration; it is the stable primary identifier regardless of name changes.

What entity types are registered with BIPA in Namibia?

BIPA registers private companies (Pty Ltd), public companies, close corporations (CC, no new formations after the Companies Act came into force), external companies (foreign branches), and non-profit companies under the Companies Act 28 of 2004.

Does Namibia have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

Namibia does not operate a publicly searchable UBO register as of May 2026. [VERIFY: current UBO registry status.] Beneficial ownership requirements exist under Namibia’s Financial Intelligence Act and FATF-aligned AML legislation. UBO data is held by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) rather than published publicly. Compliance buyers should rely on BIPA director and shareholder records, direct counterparty disclosure, and supplementary verification.

Is Namibia on the FATF grey list?

No, as of May 2026. [VERIFY: fatf-gafi.org for current status.] Standard CDD applies.

What’s the difference between BIPA and the tax authority?

BIPA handles company registration and IP registration. Tax registration is administered by the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), which issues the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). These are separate systems. A complete CDD file should verify both the BIPA company record and NamRA tax compliance where possible.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: BIPA Namibia (bipa.na), Bank of Namibia (bon.com.na), FATF (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.