The Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, has called on the ICT sector stakeholders to collaborate in advancing digital inclusiveness to boost economic growth.
She made the call during a high-level stakeholder engagement held in Mariental in the Hardap Region.
The one-day stakeholder engagement aimed to assess ICT progress and challenges, as well as sharpen strategies for advancing the region's ICT sector.
Additionally, it also deliberated cybersecurity-related issues.
Parastatals in the ICT space, including NBC, NamPost, MTC, CRAN and Telecom, also presented information on the planned ICT projects in the region.
The Hardap Region is doing better. You are somewhere beyond the halfway mark. But it doesn't mean it's perfect. It's never too good until everyone is connected. It is never too satisfactory until everybody can actually use the potential connectivity to positively impact their livelihoods. It goes beyond fibre connectivity or network towers. It goes beyond having access to a smartphone and data being on that phone for you to access social media and so many other opportunities."
Theofelus emphasised that a key government priority is to ensure that technology benefits wider communities, helps bridge the divide between rural and urban areas, and addresses potential misuse to deliver services effectively.
The minister revealed that the government allocated funds to expand ICT infrastructure in the most remote areas where telecommunications operators are reluctant to invest.
She noted the Hardap Region will be a priority in the second phase of the roll-out, which is to commence soon.
Theofelus said the country is increasingly becoming vulnerable to cyber attacks.
"To address this, we managed to establish the Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team, NAM-CSIRT for short, under the regulator, which is fully operational today. The department is responsible for coordinating the cybersecurity incidents reporting, mitigation, response and recovery across all sectors in Namibia."
Hardap Governor Riaan McNab said the stakeholder engagement reflects the government's commitment that all regions are included in its digital transformation agenda.
"For our residents, access to reliable information and communication technology is not a luxury, but it is essential. ICT plays a crucial role in enabling quality education in our schools, timely healthcare in our clinics, greater market access for our businesses, improved public service delivery and access to information and government services."
The ministry intends to investigate opportunities for transforming the Hardap Region into Namibia's prominent film hub.