Staff Reporter
THE Bank of Namibia (BoN) has addressed public concerns surrounding the newly issued N$1 coin—controversially referred to by some as the “Outere Dollar”—clarifying that the coin is not intended to depict begging or dependency, but rather to symbolise national economic strength and collective progress.
“The coin has, in certain circles, come to be colloquially referred to as the ‘Outere Dollar,’ a phrase rooted in Khoekhoegowab that loosely translates to ‘give me.’ This interpretation, while not the Bank’s intended messaging, gained traction online. In response, the Bank acknowledged the phrase in its public awareness efforts—not to endorse or promote it as an official name, but to reframe and debunk the perception that the coin depicts begging or dependency,” the Bank explained.
This clarification follows online backlash over the coin’s design and its perceived cultural implications, with some pointing out that the term “Outere Dollar” carries an offensive connotation, as it is sometimes used as a derogatory slur—particularly towards speakers of the Khoekhoegowab language.
The BoN, however, argued that the coin’s meaning has been misinterpreted, emphasising that the Bank “would never intentionally promote exclusion or division.” According to the Bank, the coin was designed to honour Namibia’s retail sector, and the motif of two hands exchanging coins symbolises the act of trade—a mutual, everyday interaction that connects people and communities.
“Our aim was to shift the conversation towards what the coin truly represents: dignified exchange, vibrant commerce, and shared economic progress. There was no intention to use it as a slur or cultural slight. The Bank of Namibia recognises and celebrates the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity, and would never intentionally promote exclusion or division. The interpretation that this was a tribalist insult misconstrues both the intention and the message. The Bank of Namibia reiterates that the N$1 coin symbolises national economic strength and collective progress. Therefore, it calls for a balanced dialogue and rejects any attempts to distort this symbol into one of weakness or division,” the BoN added.
