Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
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Person

Emilia Nghikembua

Also known as: Mrs. Emilia Nghikembua

CEO of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, leading reforms in telecommunications and cybersecurity; contract renewed through 2030.

Business

CRAN allocates N$42.1 million for rural mobile network expansion

The News

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has allocated N$42.1 million under Phase 2 of the Universal Service Fund to MTC and Telecom Namibia to expand mobile and internet infrastructure into rural and underserved regions, including nine strategic RAN tower locations across five regions and connectivity to 15 public institutions. The project, 39% complete as of March 2026, supports Namibia's national development target of increasing internet penetration from 53% to 90% by 2030.

Why it matters

N$42.1 million rural digital infrastructure expansion directly supports Namibia's 2030 internet penetration target of 90%.

21 hours ago · Informanté →

Yesterday

  1. CRAN allocates N$42.1 million for rural mobile network expansion

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has allocated N$42.1 million under Phase 2 of the Universal Service Fund to MTC and Telecom Namibia to expand mobile and internet infrastructure into rural and underserved regions, including nine strategic RAN tower locations across five regions and connectivity to 15 public institutions. The project, 39% complete as of March 2026, supports Namibia's national development target of increasing internet penetration from 53% to 90% by 2030.

    21 hours ago · Informanté →

Friday 17 April

  1. CRAN awards N$32m to MTC for rural connectivity expansion

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has awarded Mobile Telecommunications Limited N$32.3 million through the Universal Service Fund Phase 2 project to deploy radio access network towers across five regions, extending connectivity to 15 public institutions including schools and clinics. The initiative supports the Sixth National Development Plan's digital inclusion priorities, with Phase 3 preparations underway for approximately N$65 million to benefit close to 16 communities.

    17 April 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 2 April

  1. CRAN and NaCC strengthen ICT sector cooperation agreement

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia and the Namibian Competition Commission signed an addendum to their Memorandum of Understanding to improve collaboration on fair competition and consumer protection in the ICT sector. The agreement establishes clearer procedures for handling complaints, joint investigations, information sharing, and coordinated decision-making between the two regulators.

    2 April 2026 · New Era →

Friday 20 March

  1. CRAN expands mandate to cybersecurity and digital transformation

    The Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia has broadened its role beyond telecommunications regulation to include cybersecurity, hosting Namibia's Cyber Incident Response Team and driving the country's digital innovation agenda. CEO Emilia Nghikembua highlighted that outdated 2009 legislation hampers progress and outlined new strategic initiatives including regulatory sandboxes for technology testing and public key infrastructure deployment.

    20 March 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 18 March

  1. Namibia detects over half-million cyber vulnerabilities in Q4 2025

    Namibia's cybersecurity team detected 535,204 cyber vulnerabilities during October–December 2025, a 4.28% decrease from the previous quarter, though phishing scams and ransomware threats remain persistent concerns. The team has identified emerging ransomware groups and emphasises the need for continued vigilance in protecting critical infrastructure.

    18 March 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 25 February

  1. NAM-CSIRT hosts DNS resilience training for Southern Africa

    The Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team, housed under Cran, hosted a Domain Name System Resilience Training from 17 to 20 February 2026 in Windhoek to strengthen DNS security awareness and response capabilities across the region, addressing vulnerabilities that pose significant threats to internet integrity including botnets, denial-of-service attacks, and phishing.

    25 February 2026 · New Era →

Saturday 21 February

  1. Cran plans four-year phase-out of 2G and 3G networks

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia is planning to gradually shut down older 2G and 3G mobile networks over the next four years and replace them with 4G and 5G to align with global trends, provide faster internet speeds, and offer better security features. The authority is also implementing a public key infrastructure system to enhance digital security and protect online transactions.

    21 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 4 February

  1. CRAN launches second USF tower in Kunene region

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia launched a telecommunications tower in Ehomba, Kunene region, under its Universal Service Fund initiative to expand digital access to rural and underserved communities. The launch follows an earlier USF tower deployment in Epinga, Ohangwena region in November 2025.

    4 February 2026 · New Era →

Thursday 29 January

  1. Cran to roll out 5G and LEO satellite services in 2026

    Namibia's communications regulator plans to introduce 5G services and low Earth orbit satellite internet while phasing out 2G and 3G networks in 2026, with operators required to deliver minimum download speeds of 25 Mbps by October. Competition will intensify as a third mobile operator enters the market and sector infrastructure modernizes to support industrial applications in mining, agriculture, health and education.

    29 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 6 January

  1. CRAN renews CEO Emilia Nghikembua's contract through 2030

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has renewed the contract of CEO Emilia Nghikembua for a second term running from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030, citing her exemplary leadership and outstanding performance during her first term. The CRAN board credits her with spearheading transformative reforms in Namibia's telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.

    6 January 2026 · New Era →

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