The Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Lucia Iipumbu, has announced that the government has allocated funds for a software upgrade aimed at restoring the functionality of the Automatic Biometric Information System, which collapsed in 2025 due to ageing infrastructure.

This was in response to IPC MP Vilho Ihemba, who raised concerns regarding the youth missing out on employment opportunities without access to certificates of conduct due to this matter.

Iipumbu stated that the ministry is implementing a broader upgrade of the system to ensure stability, modernisation and improved turnaround times, as an agreement with a supplier for the software upgrade has been concluded.

She added that the ministry is cognisant that certificates of conduct are not discretionary documents for many citizens but practical prerequisites for employment.

"The restoration and standardisation of the system have been treated as a priority, and the modernisation programme outlined above is specifically intended to prevent the queues and improve their productivity and turnaround times in the issuing of such certificates."

She also clarified that the fee for the issuance of a certificate of conduct is N$100 with a validity period of six months to ensure that information relied upon for sensitive decisions remains current.