The Namibian Government is in full support of 5G technology, which would surely positively change how our country is governed, bringing a positive change in ease of business and ease of living, Peya Mushelenga, Minister of Information and Communication Technology has said.
Mushelenga who was speaking at the Telecom Namibia 30th Anniversary Celebration and Inaugural TN Drum Awards further highlighted that all sectors, including agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, and logistics, can only benefit from this development.
“Hence, we look forward to adjusting to this new reality,” Mushelenga said.
The government placed a moratorium on 5G technology, and in 2020 embarked on the development of a national strategy for the technology.
In June this year, stakeholders in the sector, MTC, the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) and Huawei, signed a tripartite agreement calling for the lifting of the moratorium.
It was also reported that the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) had released its strategy for the implementation of 5G technology in Namibia.
In a recent post on its website, Cran said the implementation of the five-year strategy would allow for the addition of more applications and services to those already being provided by telecommunications networks.
Mushelenga also noted that the Namibian Government recognises the value of information and communications technology (ICT) as an industry to support socio-economic growth.
The Namibian Government’s Vision 2030 aims at transforming Namibia into a knowledge-based society and leveraging knowledge and technology for the benefit of the people.
“To achieve Vision 2030, we have accelerated the use of ICT by developing and implementing authorizing policies in the ICT sector, to ensure that every citizen and resident has affordable access to high-quality information and communication services. The ICT sector has accounted for a significant percentage of the GDP growth in Namibia, and thus we remain committed to growing and developing infrastructure, facilitating innovation and creating frameworks to ensure the realisation of objectives set out in Vision 2030, NDP5 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which focuses on key strategies and initiatives to increase access to ICT related services.
“These strategies and initiatives include, but are not limited to, providing necessary ICT infrastructure, ICT skills and human resources, modern broadcasting services, and increased e-services in an integrated multipronged approach. The establishment of Telecom Namibia 30 years ago has demonstrated the Namibian Government’s on-going commitment and political will towards supporting the growth and development of the sector,” explained Mushelenga.
In this light, Mushelenga also applauded Telecom Namibia for adopting network modernisation and digital infrastructure investment as a key strategic objective in your organisation’s current Integrated Strategic Business Plan further stating that this helps the government achieve national goals like Vision 2030, 4IR, NDP 5, and HPPII.
“One key milestone that needs recognition and that I would like to commend Telecom on is the co-landing of the Google Equiano submarine cable, in partnership with the private company Paratus, allowing for the sharing of infrastructure as envisaged under HPPII. This is the second submarine cable Telecom Namibia has landed, the first one being the West Africa Cable System (WACS) that landed in February 2011, eleven years earlier.
“These cables address Namibia’s international connectivity needs and gear Namibia towards 4IR, a revolution that will be driven by intense data-driven needs. Thank you for positioning Namibia as a regional ICT hub for landlocked African countries such as Botswana (via Buitepos), Zambia (via Ngoma and Sesheke), Malawi, and the DRC. This fits with what you thought you would need in terms of capacity to allow digital transformation in areas like logistics and trade,” added Mushelenga.
He went on to stress that organizations such as Telecom Namibia today need to realize how important it is to tap into the tremendous power of digital technology to add value to consumers.
“In this fast-changing and dynamic ICT sector with high customer expectations, there is always a great demand for information to be handled faster and better every day. Therefore, to remain relevant, we must constantly challenge and review the way we do things, be it in new technologies, new business innovations, or new ways of retailing products and services.
“In other words, we need to improve and enhance our communications network and increase cybersecurity to ensure the network’s reliability and robustness, as well as improve connectivity in all aspects of physical, institutional, people-to-people, and online connectivity. I was reliably informed that the Telecom Namibia Board of Directors and Management have embarked on focused strategic initiatives under Operation Autumn Cleaning, or OAC, to transform TN into a customer-centric organization by improving service delivery and customer experience.
“Today’s event, the Customer Loyalty Awards Ceremony, shows that Telecom understands that customers are the heart of any business and are a key factor in business growth. We’re glad that this attitude is reflected in every decision your company makes. These efforts have demonstrated Telecom Namibia’s capacity and willingness to move towards digital transformation. Your efforts are commended and have not gone unnoticed,” concluded Mushelenga.