Sunday, 6 September 2026

Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026

Sunday, 6 September 2026

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Namibian press · Person

Emilia Nghikembua

Also known as: Mrs. Emilia Nghikembua

Emilia Nghikembua — CEO of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, appointed vice-chairperson of the Public Enterprises CEOs Forum in 2026.

2024-02-202026-09-06

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

January 2026
6 JanNew Era
Emilia Nghikembua was named Young African Leader of the Year by African Leadership Magazine in 2024
Source
“Her contributions were further acknowledged in 2024 when she was named Young African Leader of the Year by African Leadership Magazine, celebrating her trailblazing efforts in reforming and strengthening Africa's communications landscape.”
CRAN renews CEO’s contract
December 2025
16 DecThe Namibian
Emilia Nghikembua deserve to be commended for navigating this process with both firmness and fairness
Source
“Cran and its leadership, particularly chief executive Emilia Nghikembua, deserve to be commended for navigating this process with both firmness and fairness.”
Starlink’s Namibian Chapter: Progress, Not Panic
February 2024
20 FebThe Namibian
Emilia Nghikembua is chief executive of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia
Source
“Emilia Nghikembua is the chief executive of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia.”
5G and renewable energy in Namibia

Business

Namibia launches digital trust system for online document signing

The News

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) has launched DigiNam, a digital trust system enabling Namibians to use verified digital identities and electronic signatures to sign documents and access services online. The system, backed by the Electronic Transactions Act of 2019, supports government services, contract signing, banking, business registration, customer verification, and health or education records management.

1 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 1 September

Namibia launches digital trust system for online document signing
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) has launched DigiNam, a digital trust system enabling Namibians to use verified digital identities and electronic signatures to sign documents and access services online. The system, backed by the Electronic Transactions Act of 2019, supports government services, contract signing, banking, business registration, customer verification, and health or education records management.
1 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Home affairs minister calls for unified digital identity system
Home Affairs Minister Lucia Iipumbu has called on government to stop requiring citizens to repeatedly prove their identity and carry certified documents between offices, saying digital transformation should eliminate unnecessary queues and duplication through a trusted digital identity system and secure information-sharing between government institutions.
1 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 31 August

Deputy minister urges Namibian entrepreneurs to pursue regional markets
Deputy minister of education Dino Ballotti challenged Namibian entrepreneurs to expand beyond the domestic market of three million people and pursue customers in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa using technology. The article's author, while agreeing with the ambition, questions whether Namibia has the foundational business infrastructure—competitive companies, proper capitalization, technological capability, and consistent delivery—necessary for successful regional expansion.
31 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Friday 28 August

CRAN, NORED sign five-year MoU on digital and electrification infrastructure
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) and NORED Electricity signed a five-year non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on rural broadband connectivity, electrification initiatives, and capacity building to support Namibia's digital transformation and socio-economic development.
28 August 2026 · Informanté →
CRAN CEO Nghikembua appointed vice-chair of CEO Forum
Emilia Nghikembua, CEO of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, has been appointed vice-chairperson of the Public Enterprises CEOs Forum.
28 August 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Tuesday 25 August

Deputy Minister urges Namibian entrepreneurs to expand regionally
Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Dino Ballotti told entrepreneurs at a CRAN breakfast in Oshakati that Namibia's small population should not limit business ambitions, urging them to use digital technology to pursue customers in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Digital platforms and services now allow businesses to serve clients beyond their physical location, though regional expansion requires capital, market knowledge, logistics, payment systems and regulatory compliance.
25 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Deputy minister urges entrepreneurs to expand regionally via digital
Deputy minister Dino Ballotti told entrepreneurs in Oshakati that Namibia's three-million population should not limit ambitions, and urged them to use digital platforms and technology to target customers in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
25 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Sunday 16 August

CRAN and NAPWU agree five percent wage increase for 2026/2027
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia and the Namibia Public Workers Union signed a Memorandum of Agreement on 12 August 2026 providing for a five percent wage increase for employees in the bargaining unit for the 2026/2027 financial year, following wage negotiations concluded on 27 July 2026.
16 August 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 7 August

President gives state enterprises 24 months to deliver results
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah told parastatals she will not accept long-term plans or bureaucratic delays, demanding instead tangible outcomes within 24 months and threatening personal intervention to remove obstacles to economic development.
7 August 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 4 August

NCCI and CRAN sign three-year digital transformation partnership
The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding to advance digital transformation, strengthen cybersecurity, and support businesses in Namibia's digital economy through cooperation in areas including Public Key Infrastructure, e-trade facilitation, and digital literacy.
4 August 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 24 July

Namibian cybersecurity vulnerabilities surge 40% in Q2 2026
Namibia recorded 513,921 cybersecurity vulnerabilities from April to June 2026, a 39.8% increase year-on-year, with cyber events rising 56.7%. NAM-CSIRT attributed the rise to remote management exposure, legacy network services, and emerging threats including BAVACAI ransomware and Black X extortion group activity.
24 July 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 22 July

Namibia recorded 513,921 cyber vulnerabilities in Q2 2024
Namibia recorded more than half a million cyber vulnerabilities between April and June, representing a 39.8% increase from the previous quarter, according to the Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team. The Communication Regulatory Authority chief executive urged organisations to tighten cybersecurity measures, implement national incident management guidelines, and report incidents early.
22 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 30 June

MTC investigated over rapid data depletion complaints
Mobile Telecommunications Limited customers have filed complaints with the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) over alleged rapid data depletion and billing issues. Cran and MTC have agreed to conduct a joint technical testing and verification exercise involving affected consumers to examine their data depletion claims using technical information and charging records.
30 June 2026 · The Namibian →
CRAN engages MTC over consumer data depletion complaints
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has engaged Mobile Telecommunications Limited over consumer concerns about data disappearing faster than expected and billing transparency issues. CRAN and MTC have agreed to launch a technical testing and verification initiative involving affected consumers, with findings to guide interventions and possible relief.
30 June 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 29 June

Starlink can pursue High Court review despite late filing
Lawyer Richard Metcalfe says Starlink can challenge Cran's rejection of its licence application in the High Court through review proceedings and condonation, even though its reconsideration request was dismissed for being filed late. Cran dismissed the application after Starlink missed the 30-day deadline, having submitted it on 8 June, 55 days after the licence rejection on 23 March.
29 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 23 June

Cran closes reconsideration on Starlink licence rejection
Namibia's communications regulator has closed its reconsideration process on Starlink's rejected licence application, directing aggrieved parties to pursue review at the High Court. Cran chief executive Emilia Nghikembua said the authority has exhausted all avenues available to it, noting that Starlink's own reconsideration request was submitted late and did not meet legal requirements.
23 June 2026 · The Namibian →
CRAN upholds Starlink licence rejection under Namibian law
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has upheld its rejection of Starlink Internet Services Namibia's licence applications, emphasizing that the rule of law applies equally to all, including foreign investors. While acknowledging Starlink's potential to improve connectivity in remote areas, the editorial argues that adherence to national legislation must supersede admiration for technological innovation.
23 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
CRAN upholds rejection of Starlink's licence applications
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has upheld its decision to reject Starlink Internet Services Namibia's licence applications after reviewing 624 requests for reconsideration, saying the reconsideration process did not provide new evidence or demonstrate any material error in the original decision. CRAN found the application did not meet requirements relating to ownership and control.
23 June 2026 · Informanté →
CRAN upholds rejection of Starlink licence applications
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia dismissed 624 reconsideration requests following its March 2026 rejection of Starlink's licence applications, reaffirming that the company failed to comply with ownership and control requirements under the Communications Act.
23 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Monday 22 June

CRAN dismisses all applications to overturn Starlink licence rejection
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia has dismissed all applications seeking reconsideration of its decision to reject Starlink Internet Services Namibia's licence applications, saying the company failed to comply with communications laws. Of 624 public requests for reconsideration, 622 were dismissed for failing procedural requirements, while the two that met the threshold presented no new evidence or material error.
22 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 26 May

Telecom Namibia summoned over nationwide broadband outages
Telecom Namibia has been summoned by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia following repeated nationwide broadband disruptions affecting businesses, institutions and households. The company attributed the outages to infrastructure-related problems and system faults, and said it will provide a full briefing on technical causes and measures to restore stability.
26 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Saturday 25 April

CRAN promotes girls' participation in tech, AI careers
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia marked International Girls in ICT Day 2026 on 23 April at A. Shipena Secondary School in Windhoek, calling for greater female participation in technology and digital fields. CRAN CEO Emilia Nghikembua encouraged young women to pursue careers as developers, data scientists, and cybersecurity experts, while the authority donated N$53,000 to the school's ICT laboratory.
25 April 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 23 April

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.
23 April 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 17 April

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 →