Technews

Stay updated with Namibia’s latest tech news, startups, gadgets, and digital trends.

[Technews @technews_nam]

Rössing invests N$37m to build Namibia's digital skills pipeline

The Rössing Foundation has invested N$37 million in upgrading the Ondangwa Digital Technology Hub, as Namibia intensifies efforts to prepare young people for a technology-driven economy.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Tuesday inaugurated the upgraded facility and the Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Science Exhibition Hall, describing the project as a strategic investment in the country's future workforce.

The investment comes as Namibia seeks to strengthen its digital economy, address skills shortages and equip young people for opportunities emerging from the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

https://t.co/8lsA7U2HIa #namibia #technology #techhub #investment @TechCrunch @TechCentral @NamPresidency @RossingFndation

[Technews @technews_nam]

MobiPay strengthens data protection credentials with ISO certification

MobiPay has strengthened its position in Namibia's digital payments market after obtaining ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, a globally recognised information security standard increasingly required by large businesses, financial institutions and government entities.

The certification, awarded by international standards body BSI, confirms that MobiPay's information security management systems meet global requirements for protecting data, managing cyber risks and maintaining operational security.

The achievement comes as organisations across Namibia place greater emphasis on cybersecurity when selecting digital payment providers and technology partners.

Industry observers note that internationally recognised security certifications are becoming an increasingly important requirement in procurement processes, particularly within the financial services, telecommunications, government and corporate sectors.

https://t.co/vIycJ22tRX #namibia #operationalsecurity #technology #cyberrisks @sigstart @QBBT @rudolphmuller @TechCrunch @TechCentral @TechnologyMagBC @Mobipay_Namibia

[Technews @technews_nam]

NamPower's AI-ready digital substation signals future of smart grid technology

NamPower has commissioned what it describes as Africa's first fully digital substation, introducing infrastructure designed to support future artificial intelligence (AI) applications in Namibia's electricity network.

The N$394 million Sekelduin Substation, located east of Swakopmund, represents a major step towards the digitalisation of the country's power grid and could pave the way for AI-driven monitoring, predictive maintenance and automated network management.

Unlike conventional substations, which rely heavily on manual inspections and analogue systems, the Sekelduin facility generates real-time operational data from critical grid equipment.

This digital foundation enables advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse network performance, identify faults and predict equipment failures before they occur.

https://t.co/QOmI5Jq5Y8 #namibia #ai #digitalsubstations #networkmanagement #networkperformance @nampowernamibia @Erongo_RED @NamWater_na @sigstart @QBBT @rudolphmuller @TechCrunch @TechCentral @TechnologyMagBC

[Technews @technews_nam]

CRAN rejects public push to overturn Starlink licence rejection

A public campaign to overturn the rejection of Starlink's telecommunications licence application has failed after the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) dismissed all 624 requests seeking a review of its decision.

The outcome leaves Starlink's plans to launch satellite internet services in Namibia facing continued uncertainty despite growing public support for the technology.

CRAN Chief Executive Officer Emilia Nghikembua said the regulator received an unprecedented 624 reconsideration requests after it rejected Starlink Internet Services Namibia's licence application on 23 March 2026.
However, the overwhelming majority of the submissions were found to be legally defective.

According to CRAN, 622 requests failed to meet the procedural and jurisdictional requirements necessary to trigger a valid reconsideration process because they did not clearly identify the decision being challenged, provide specific grounds for reconsideration, or contain sufficient information for reassessment.

https://t.co/FNLxM5aG6t #namibia #starlink #connectivity #telecommunications @MICTNamibia @CRANamibia
@EmmaTheofelus @Starlink @sigstart @rudolphmuller @QBBT @TechCentral @TechCrunch @TechnologyMagBC

[Technews @technews_nam]

13 Namibian organisations potentially exposed in global cyber security incident

The Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team (NAM-CSIRT) has identified 13 Namibian organisations potentially exposed to a global cyber security incident that could allow hackers to gain unauthorised access to corporate networks, steal sensitive information and launch ransomware attacks.

The incident, known as FortiBleed, involves the exposure of administrator credentials, virtual private network (VPN) credentials and firewall configuration data linked to internet-facing Fortinet FortiGate devices used by organisations worldwide.

NAM-CSIRT, which operates under the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), said all affected Namibian organisations have been contacted directly and provided with guidance on urgent remedial measures to secure their systems and reduce the risk of compromise.

https://t.co/Z8BlIwvPma #namibia #cybersecurity #ransomware #organisations @MICTNamibia @CRANamibia @EmmaTheofelus @sigstart @rudolphmuller @QBBT @TechCrunch @TechCentral @TechnologyMagBC

[Technews @technews_nam]

ECB enhances AI Assistant as regulator expands digital engagement

The Electricity Control Board (ECB) has enhanced the capabilities of its artificial intelligence-powered assistant, Mr Regulator, as part of a broader digital strategy aimed at improving public access to regulatory information and strengthening stakeholder engagement.

The upgraded AI platform, which is accessible through the ECB's website, provides real-time responses to enquiries related to electricity regulation, licensing procedures, tariff methodologies, regulatory requirements and national energy policies.

According to the ECB, Mr Regulator has been trained on a comprehensive body of sector-specific information, including the Electricity Act of 2007, grid codes, tariff methodologies, regulatory rules and national energy policy frameworks.

https://t.co/G75eAucO9j #namibia #energypolicies #policyframeworks #ai #digitalstrategy #mrregulator @ecbnam @TechCrunch @TechCentral @TechnologyMagBC @QBBT @sigstart @rudolphmuller

[Technews @technews_nam]

Letshego Bank completes instant government payment integration

Letshego Bank Namibia has completed the Government-to-Person (G2P) phase of Namibia's Instant Payment Programme (IPP), enabling the bank to receive instant government payments and marking another step in the country's transition towards real-time digital payments.

The achievement earned the bank a certificate of recognition from Instant Payment Namibia (IPN), the company overseeing the rollout of the national instant payments infrastructure.

With the G2P functionality now operational, government payments such as social grants and pensions can be transferred instantly into Letshego transactional bank accounts, improving the speed and accessibility of public payments.

https://t.co/fr9Qfesh6q #namibia #letshego #infrastructure #instantpayments #development @LetshegoNamibia @BankofNamibia @marsorry @TechCrunch @TechCentral @TechnologyMagBC @sigstart @QBBT @rudolphmuller @EsterKali

[Technews @technews_nam]

Namibia’s cyber threat incidents fall by nearly half in Q1

Cyber threat incidents in Namibia declined sharply during the first quarter of 2026, with reported cyber attacks and identified vulnerabilities recording significant reductions, according to the latest Quarterly Statistics Bulletin released by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN).

The report shows that cyber threat incidents fell by 47% during the quarter, while reported and detected vulnerabilities declined by 31%, indicating an improvement in the country's cybersecurity environment.

"Cyber threat incidents and identified vulnerabilities declined significantly during the first quarter of 2026," the report said.

https://t.co/XFltSJCnZM #namibia #cyberthreats #investigations #networkinfrastructure @CRANamibia @MTCNamibia @TelecomNamibia @paratus_africa

[Technews @technews_nam]

Namibia climbs to third in Africa's digital rights ranking despite data privacy gaps

Namibia has been ranked the third-best country in Africa for digital rights and inclusion, driven by major investments in telecommunications infrastructure, rural connectivity and cybersecurity, according to the 2025 Londa Report.

The report, published by pan-African digital rights organisation Paradigm Initiative, awarded Namibia 42 out of 60 points on its TheScore Index, placing the country behind only South Africa and Ghana among 29 African nations assessed.

The ranking reflects Namibia's rapid digital transformation over the past year, including the launch of the Universal Service Fund (USF), expansion of rural broadband access, deployment of a privately owned mobile network and investments in cybersecurity infrastructure.

https://t.co/CYTMh065vc #namibia #digitarights #legislation #connectivity #dataprotection @ParadigmHQ @CRANamibia @MICTNamibia @sigstart @QBBT @rudolphmuller @TechCentral @TechCrunch @TechnologyMagBC

[Technews @technews_nam]

City of Windhoek enables municipal bus cards top-ups through PayPulse

The City of Windhoek has expanded its cashless public transport system through the integration of Standard Bank's PayPulse platform, enabling commuters to top up municipal bus cards directly from their mobile phones.

The new functionality allows passengers to load funds onto City of Windhoek bus cards via the PayPulse mobile application or USSD service, eliminating the need to visit physical top-up points and marking a further step in the city's digital transport transformation.

The development builds on Windhoek's transition to a fully cashless municipal bus system in August 2025, when the city introduced smart card payments across its public transport network.

Under the latest upgrade, commuters can register, manage and fund their travel accounts remotely using either smartphones or feature phones, broadening access to digital transport services.

https://t.co/xieE777bm6 #namibia #transporttransformation #paypulse #publictransport #cardpayments @CoWMunicipality @PayPulseNA @SB_Namibia @TechCrunch @TechCentral @TechnologyMagBC @sigstart @QBBT @rudolphmuller

[Technews @technews_nam]

Namibia targets local tech firms for national digital ID platform

Namibia's government plans to source key components of its upcoming electronic identity (e-ID) platform from local technology providers as it prepares to launch the country's digital identity system in September 2026.

Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Minister Lucia Iipumbu said local companies would be encouraged to participate in an open tender process for the development of systems underpinning the new digital identity infrastructure.

The e-ID initiative forms part of Namibia's broader digital transformation agenda and is expected to modernise identity verification, strengthen cybersecurity and improve access to digital public services.

https://t.co/lTFuntyPY0 #namibia #identitycards #legislation #electronicidentity @parliament_nam @MHAINamibia @TechCrunch @TechCentral @TechnologyMagBC @sigstart @rudolphmuller @QBBT

[Technews @technews_nam]

Ignorance or Indifference: What is really behind Namibia's cybersecurity awareness problem?

By Erick Shapumba

For years, we have advocated by running campaigns, hosting workshops, publishing articles, and using every platform available to educate the public on the risks that come with living, working, and banking in a digital world.

And to a degree, the message has landed. The working class and the younger generation are, by and large, competent users of technology.

They know their way around a smartphone, are active on the internet, and are, in every sense, plugged in.

We also know they understand, at some level, that their devices carry information worth protecting. The phones are password-protected. The banking apps have PINs and biometrics.

https://t.co/ar8eUGstYh #namibia #technology #cybersecurity #bankingapps #digitalplatforms

[Technews @technews_nam]

Namibia moves government grant payments onto instant payment network

Namibia has processed its first government grant payments through the national instant payment network, marking a major milestone in the country's efforts to modernise public-sector payments and expand financial inclusion.

The first live Government-to-Person (G2P) payments were made on 17 June 2026 to beneficiaries under the Marginalised Beneficiaries grant category, with recipients receiving funds in near real time through the new payment infrastructure.

The rollout was facilitated by Bank Windhoek, one of the first financial institutions certified under the Instant Payment Programme (IPP), and represents the first live government payment use case on Namibia's instant payment system.

https://t.co/7jNJZvYzrw #namibia #instantpayment #grant #payments #financialinclusion @BankWindhoek @BankofNamibia

[Technews @technews_nam]

Telecom Namibia must choose courage over comfort— Before it is too late

By Mbangula Lameck Amugongo

In 2010, I received a call from the then Telecom Namibia bursary officer informing me that I was one of the successful candidates to be awarded a fully funded bursary from Telecom Namibia.

It was this funding that enabled me to pursue and complete my Bachelor's IT in Software Engineering at the then Polytechnic of Namibia, a life-defining moment that changed my life.

After graduating, I joined Telecom Namibia and spent six rewarding years working across different departments. One of my key roles was as a Business Intelligence Analyst, where I provided data-driven insights to support strategic decision-making.

During my time at Telecom Namibia, I also furthered my education, obtaining a Master’s degree in Computer Science.

https://t.co/jxRZbGiqf5 #namibia #telecommunications #telecom #ai #technology

[Technews @technews_nam]

MTC expands business technology services through Huawei partnership

Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has become a Huawei Enterprise Partner, giving the company access to a wider range of business technology products and services.

The new partnership will allow MTC to offer Huawei's enterprise solutions, including cloud services, digital infrastructure, networking systems and business technology platforms to companies and institutions in Namibia.

MTC Chief Brand, Marketing, Communications and Sustainability Officer Tim Ekandjo said the partnership strengthens the company's ability to meet the growing technology needs of businesses.

https://t.co/wX6nCYqb0j #namibia #telecommunications #partnership #technology @TechCentral @TechCrunch @MTCNamibia @Huawei

[Technews @technews_nam]

Namibia completes live testing of instant payments platform

Namibia has successfully completed live production testing of its new Instant Payment Solution (IPS), a major step towards enabling real-time digital payments across the country's financial system and accelerating financial inclusion.

The successful pilot, conducted by Instant Payments Namibia (IPN), saw live transactions processed between the Bank of Namibia's Currency Management and Banking Operations Department and the first participating institutions, Bank Windhoek, Nampost and Letshego Bank Namibia.

The tests confirmed the platform's ability to transfer funds instantly, securely and reliably in a production environment.

The development represents one of the most significant upgrades to Namibia's payments infrastructure in recent years, laying the foundation for a modern digital payments ecosystem capable of supporting instant transactions between banks, businesses, government institutions and consumers.

https://t.co/jPTJcxsm6n #namibia #transfarfunds #digitalpayments #paymentinfrastructure @BankofNamibia @BankWindhoek @NamPostNamibia @LetshegoNamibia @TechCrunch @TechCentral

[Technews @technews_nam]

Bank of Namibia’s AI push wins international recognition

The Bank of Namibia has received international recognition for its artificial intelligence programme after winning the Artificial Intelligence Initiative Award at the 2026 Central Banking Awards in London.

The award highlights the growing role of AI and machine learning within Namibia’s financial sector, with the central bank deploying advanced technologies to improve economic forecasting, banking sector supervision and regulatory processes.

Among the AI-powered solutions recognised was a predictive model designed to identify potential risks in the banking sector by analysing trends in non-performing loans.

The system provides early warning indicators that can assist regulators in monitoring financial stability and responding to emerging risks.

https://t.co/MmGsWVXiPo #namibia #ai #bankingsector #modeldesign @BankofNamibia @CentralBanking_ @NUST_Namibia @TechCrunch @TechCentral

[Technews @technews_nam]

Part 1: The AI job apocalypse needs a reality check

By Stantin Siebritz

The loudest AI story right now sounds like the Disclosure Day trailer: a coming invasion, that’s already here, humans are finished, and panic is the only rational strategy.

But the practical story is less cinematic. AI is powerful and disruptive, but the claim that it is ready to replace human workers at scale is being inflated by some of the very people who benefit from that inflation.

Scott Galloway’s argument is useful because he separates capability from theatre.

His criticism is not that AI is useless; it is that certain AI leaders sell a dystopian future because fear attracts attention, investment, valuations and enterprise spending.

https://t.co/JUWBIkkgh6 #namibia #technologt #ai #invasion #dystopianfuture

[Technews @technews_nam]

Telecom Namibia tests satellite broadband service through Angosat-2 partnership

Telecom Namibia has signed a pilot commercial agreement with Angola’s National Space Programme Management Office (GGPEN) to test the deployment of Angosat-2 satellite services, marking a significant step in the company’s strategy to diversify connectivity infrastructure and extend broadband coverage to underserved areas.

The agreement, signed in Luanda, moves the partnership beyond a proof-of-concept phase into a live operational trial, allowing Telecom Namibia to assess the technical performance, reliability and commercial viability of the Angosat-2 platform on its network.

The initiative comes as telecom operators across Africa increasingly turn to satellite technology to complement fibre and wireless networks, particularly in remote locations where conventional infrastructure remains costly or difficult to deploy.

https://t.co/w2g42hu5YH #namibia #telecommunications #networktrial #commercialrollout @MICTNamibia @EmmaTheofelus @TelecomNamibia @angolaembanam @SADC_News @stanamor