Public Summary: Namibia’s Revised National Broadband Policy (2025–2029)

What it means for ordinary people, families, businesses, and communities

Namibia has updated its National Broadband Policy to guide how the country will expand fast, reliable, and affordable internet over the next five years. The policy recognises that broadband is no longer a luxury—it is essential infrastructure, just like roads, electricity, and water. It shapes how we learn, work, communicate, run businesses, and access government services.

The policy was developed through national consultations with government, regulators, ICT companies, academia, civil society, and consumer groups.

Why Broadband Matters

The policy highlights that broadband is now a key driver of economic growth. It enables:

• Online education

• Digital health services

• E‑commerce and small business growth

• Access to government services

• Innovation and job creation

• Participation in the global digital economy

Namibia’s Vision 2030 and National Development Plans all identify ICT as a foundation for national development.

Where Namibia Stands Today

• 88% of the population has some form of broadband access.
• 85.4% mobile penetration (SIM cards per 100 people).

• Rural areas still lag behind in coverage and quality.

• Broadband and device prices remain high for many households.

• Digital skills are uneven, especially outside major towns.

• Taxes on devices and ICT services increase costs for consumers.

The policy acknowledges that affordability is one of the biggest barriers to digital inclusion.

What the Policy Aims to Achieve

The Revised National Broadband Policy focuses on four major goals:

1. Universal Access to Broadband

Everyone—urban or rural—should have access to fast, reliable internet.

2. More Local Content and Digital Services

Encouraging e‑government, e‑health, e‑education, and local apps that reflect Namibian languages and culture.

3. Digital Skills for All

Helping citizens, especially youth and older adults, gain the skills needed to use technology confidently.

4. A Fair, Safe, and Supportive Digital Environment

Strengthening regulation, consumer protection, cybersecurity, and competition.

How It Will Be Implemented

• A National Broadband Steering Committee will oversee progress.

• A detailed Implementation Action Plan will guide activities for the next five years.

• The policy will be reviewed every 10 years, with the action plan updated every 5 years.

• Government, private sector, regulators, and civil society will all play specific roles.

Key Challenges the Policy Seeks to Address

The policy identifies several issues that must be fixed for Namibia to achieve digital transformation:

• High cost of data and devices
• Limited rural connectivity

• Poor quality of service in some areas

• Lack of local content

• Digital skills gaps

• Vandalism of infrastructure

• High taxes on ICT equipment
• Limited electricity in remote areas

Why This Policy Matters for Consumers

If implemented effectively, the policy can lead to:

• Lower data prices

• Better network quality

• More reliable coverage in rural areas

• Stronger consumer rights

• More online services for education, health, and government

• Better protection from online scams and cyber threats

• More opportunities for young people and small businesses

What Consumers Should Expect Going Forward

The policy sets the stage for:

• Faster internet speeds

• More competition among service providers

• Expanded fibre and mobile broadband networks

• Improved digital literacy programmes
• Greater transparency in pricing and service quality

• Stronger oversight by CRAN and the government

When the World Feels Heavy, We Still Move Forward

This morning began with the usual Namibian chaos — the kind that would make other nations crumble but somehow strengthens our spine. I was meant to leave at 10:00. Junior must be fetched between 15h30 and 17h00. My girlfriend needs a new SIM card because she’s the one who keeps the clients calm and connected. And me? I had to get an original marriage certificate from Home Affairs — and, miracle of miracles, I had it in under an hour.  

But there I was at 09:55, opening the gate for the pool guys because the person who normally does it has been fired. Life has a way of laughing at our schedules. If you don’t laugh with it, you’ll cry. And crying doesn’t get Junior fetched.

Yet even in the middle of this domestic circus, my mind drifted to the Middle East — a region where the stakes are far higher than a locked gate or a missing SIM card. A place where “things beyond our control” take on a scale we can barely comprehend.

And still, I find myself strangely hopeful.

Not naïve. Not blind. Just… hopeful.

Because history has never been gentle. We like to imagine that the past was simpler, kinder, more orderly. But that’s only because no one was live‑streaming the worst of it. Our grandparents lived through wars, displacements, shortages, and political storms that would flatten us today. They simply endured it quietly, without hashtags or breaking news banners.

The Middle East today is heartbreaking — families torn apart, futures uncertain, leaders making decisions that ripple across continents. But beneath the noise, there are still people trying to live ordinary lives. Parents fetching children. Workers opening gates. Couples trying to stay connected. Citizens navigating systems that don’t always work.  

In that way, we are not so different.

Namibians know something about resilience. We know how to survive the things we didn’t choose. We know how to keep going when the world feels too heavy. We know how to find humour in the absurd — like standing at a hotel gate you didn’t plan to open, watching your day rearrange itself without your permission.

And maybe that’s the lesson we can offer the world:  

that survival is not always heroic — sometimes it’s just stubborn.

We don’t give up because giving up has never been an option. We don’t stop hoping because hope is cheaper than despair and far more useful. And we don’t stop believing that peace is possible, even in the Middle East, because history has shown us that the darkest chapters eventually turn their own pages.

So yes, things are tough. Yes, the world feels fragile. Yes, the news is relentless.

But here we are — still moving, still trying, still believing that tomorrow might surprise us.

Call me optimistic if you want.  

I’ll take it as a compliment.

Unclaimed Monies in Namibia: What Every Namibian Should Know

Across Namibia, millions of dollars remain unclaimed in pension funds, insurance payouts, and other financial institutions. These are funds that rightfully belong to individuals or their families, yet they remain untouched simply because the beneficiaries are unaware, untraceable, or unable to complete the claims process.

Unclaimed monies are not just administrative leftovers — they represent years of work, contributions, and financial security intended for households across the country. When these funds remain unclaimed, families lose access to resources that could support education, housing, medical care, or daily living.

Why So Many Funds Go Unclaimed

There are several common reasons why benefits remain unclaimed in Namibia:

• Outdated or incorrect ID numbers
• Missing or outdated contact information
• Pensioners not submitting annual proof‑of‑existence
• Families are unaware that a deceased relative had benefits
• Incomplete HR records at the time a member left employment
• Members who moved or changed employers without updating their details

Over time, these issues accumulate into a national challenge affecting thousands of Namibian households.

The Scale of the Problem

Public reports and fund disclosures show that unclaimed monies in Namibia run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

These include:

• Pension funds with long‑outstanding benefits
• Insurance payouts never collected
• Employer retirement funds with untraceable members
• The Guardian’s Fund, which holds money for minors and untraceable heirs

The numbers grow every year, and many families still do not know that they may be entitled to claim.

A Centralised Public List

To help address this problem, we have compiled a public, searchable database of names from multiple sources.

This list is intended to make it easier for Namibians to check whether they, a family member, or someone in their community may have unclaimed benefits.

You can access the full list here:

👉 Unclaimed Benefits Namibia – Google Sheet

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TlAYEIUcTdpGXjL6U8px3eTYSbqD6oXGNnSkmbM60O0/edit?usp=sharing

The document is updated as new information becomes available.

If You Find a Name You Recognise

If you identify a name in the list:

1. Contact the relevant fund directly (GIPF, Sanlam, Benchmark, FNB, etc.).
2. Provide supporting documents such as ID, birth certificate, or death certificate.
3. Ensure your personal information is updated with your fund.
4. Inform your family members about your pension or insurance benefits to avoid future unclaimed funds.

Important: Pension funds and administrators do not use agents or consultants.

All enquiries should be made directly to the fund.

Working Together to Reunite Namibians With Their Money

Unclaimed funds are a national issue — but with awareness, transparency, and community involvement, we can help ensure that these benefits reach the people they were meant for.

Please share the link widely.

A single conversation could help a family recover money they never knew existed.

 People keep saying AI is “levelling the playing field.” And sure — the tools are open to everyone. That part is true. But the conclusion people jump to, that the gap is shrinking, is completely wrong. The gap is getting wider.

Because the person who already has vision, discipline, and taste is using AI the way a master Oshiwambo cook uses a sharper knife — faster, cleaner, more precise. And the person without taste is just producing more digital pap, faster.
Same tool. Completely different output.

Here’s the uncomfortable part: AI just killed every excuse we used to hide behind.
Can’t write? Can’t design? Can’t code? Can’t afford a team?

AI can do all of that now.

So the only question left is the one many people were avoiding:

Do you actually have something worth saying?
The test is painfully simple.
Look at something you made with AI.

Did you make it better than what the tool gave you?
Or did you just hit “publish” like someone forwarding a WhatsApp chain message?
That’s the dividing line.

AI gave everyone the same camera.
It didn’t give everyone the same eye.
And in Namibia, we’re already seeing it.

Two people use the same tools:
• One creates a powerful explainer about water security in the north.
• The other generates a poster for a “business seminar” with 12 logos, 9 fonts, and a motivational quote stolen from Facebook.
Same tools. Different outcomes.

The difference isn’t AI — it’s the person holding it.
This new era rewards intention, curiosity, and taste.
It punishes laziness.
It exposes shortcuts.
It amplifies whatever was already inside you.

AI didn’t level the playing field.
It just switched on the stadium lights.

Were You Born in the 2000s? You May Have Unclaimed Pension Money

 Many Namibians have unclaimed benefits waiting for them in retirement and pension funds — money that rightfully belongs to individuals who may have changed jobs, moved, or lost track of their fund records over the years. The tracing for these unclaimed benefits is being handled by IT Solutions. If your name appears on this list, or if you recognise someone who might be entitled to these funds, please contact Milton Louw at 081 688 1368 or miltonlouw@gmail.com so the process can begin.

Fund No.	Surname	Initials	Names	Date of birth
12511	ANDREAS	G		2001-03-29
12511	ANTONCICH	E		2001-07-24
12511	ANTONIO	DJ		2000-11-08
12512	BAMPTON	A		2000-11-13
12511	BEZUIDENTAUT	EB		2000-08-25
12512	BOOIS	J		2001-01-22
12512	BRITZ	R		2003-03-27
12511	CLOETE	D		2001-07-27
12512	CLOETE	J		2000-11-23
12511	FARMER	E		2002-04-18
12511	FREDERICKS	CP		2000-09-28
12512	GASEB	S		2002-02-11
12512	GAWESEB	D		2003-10-10
12512	GURUBEB	IF		2002-04-18
12511	HANEKOM	B		2001-10-16
12512	HAOSEB	JF		2001-05-07
12512	KARUAIHE	I		2001-03-29
12511	KOTOKENI	TTK		2000-12-06
12512	LAWRENCE	PM		2005-07-20
12511	MAJIEDT	M		2002-11-23
12512	MPINGANA	S		2000-02-14
12511	NDARA	HM		2000-10-11
12512	NDARA	P		2000-04-13
12511	NDUMBA	A		2003-12-07
12512	NOUSEB	C		2000-04-21
12512	PRINS	W		2001-02-05
12512	SWARTZ	R		2000-07-07
12512	VAN WYK	I		2000-08-11
12512	WALDECK	JP		2000-06-13