One bite at a time

In March, Namibia, together with Huawei, conducted its first 5G trial. As 5G and 5G-Advanced work their way into the country’s networks, what beneficial changes are you hoping to see as a result?

We were the first country in Southern Africa to launch 3G and 4G. We were on track to be the first country in Africa to launch 5G, but because of COVID-19, and because of the conspiracy theories around 5G, that was put on the back burner for a little bit. Finally, we launched 5G in March. The first trial was done by our national mobile carrier, Mobile Telecommunications Company, MTC. We had a wide range of people come and use 5G to see if there was any difference in speed compared with the current technology they have. In Namibia, e-sports and e-games are growing quite popular, and we ran tests to see if 5G could elevate Namibia’s competitiveness in e-sports competitions.

But the potential of 5G extends beyond just sports. We're looking at education, health, and mining. We have oil and gas as a new industry because we recently discovered oil. Likewise, we have a green hydrogen industry as well, which we hope to develop by 2030.

So, we’re really banking on good-quality connectivity and advanced technology in Namibia to bring the nation to a whole new level.

We understand you’re a fan of e-parliament. What is this, exactly, and why is it important?

In 2020, I joined Namibia’s parliament as the youngest MP at 23 years old, and was appointed Deputy Minister of ICT by the late President Dr. Hage G. Geingob. For almost a year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not convene as the legislative arm of the state. That meant we couldn't pass any laws for a while. Everything fell to the executive branch of government. Even the courts couldn't adjudicate matters. Today, we have an e-justice platform for our court system and an e-cabinet for the executive branch of government. But e-parliament, which is crucial to actually legislate laws, was left behind.

E-parliament allows parliamentarians to convene virtually when we can’t meet in person. Although they have some basic digital literacy, not many parliamentarians can utilize ICT to their full potential, and especially to legislate. So, it's very important to bring that level of literacy to an advanced level so that parliament is not disrupted by a future pandemic, a natural disaster, or anything else.

What about e-government? What’s the potential of 5G to accelerate the rollout of basic services for people?

Namibia is a large country of more than 825,000 square kilometers. But with only 3 million people, we’re the second least densely populated country in the world. People are dispersed all over the place, which means they often have to travel great distances to get a service. That takes time and costs money that many people don’t have.  

We want to bring services closer to the people. To do that, we must ensure they have the necessary connectivity. This requires the expansion of ICT infrastructure, which is already costly because the country is so large. Second, we have to make sure people can afford the devices through which government services are delivered, and can afford the data to access these government services online. It's a three-point approach to ensure that e-government service becomes a reality. That requires some level of investment, but it will ensure that no citizen is left behind and that everyone can access life-changing services.

Do you have any kind of target or estimate as to what portion of the country's networks will have some 5G or 5G-A capability, say, by 2030?

Namibia’s current National Development Plan requires that we reach 80% connectivity countrywide. We've knocked that out of the ballpark, reaching 88% national connectivity.

But of course, conditions vary depending on whether we’re talking about 3G or 4G. At 4G, we're at about 79%. But with 5G coming into the picture, every single network tower needs to be upgraded.

Because of the low digital literacy rates in the country, you could have a 5G site up and running, but not everybody on the ground would be using it. So, if we do have a target for 5G, those numbers would need to be supported by citizens who can actually use that infrastructure. Otherwise, operators won’t get a rate of return on their investment. As we draft our National Development Plan Six (2025 to 2030), we still want to see what targets make sense, given the realities on the ground.

Are there particular projects or initiatives in Namibia related to 5G and connectivity in general?

We are looking at what programs we can develop to ensure connectivity in our educational institutions, from basic education to higher learning. We want to make sure that healthcare facilities can leverage 5G technology in terms of equipment, software development, and digital skills among medical staff. Also, the courts—the judges or officers in the police department—must be able to use ICT.

So it's a big elephant. We cannot focus only on the trunk, or the tail, or the feet. We're moving simultaneously to break the entire elephant apart.

More than 71% of Namibia’s population is under age 35. How does that affect your view of digital technology?

We have a very young population that is eager to get online. They don't fear technology; they want to maximize it.

We have seen the acceleration of ICT in Namibia and on the African continent. We are confident that the picture could completely change by the year 2030.

If you imagine a future where those favorable demographics combine with the accelerated uptake of 5G and similar digital technologies, what might that look like?

Because it's such a young population, we need to teach students the skills of the future. 5G connectivity will give them access to educational content that might not be available in Namibia. We can import it and upskill these young people for tomorrow’s jobs.

We do have some level of unemployment among young people. There are disparities among those who are not skilled at all, who have no education; those who are semi-skilled and have some level of education; and those who are educated and skilled but can’t find gainful employment.

Namibia has invested in traditional education, and we are producing university graduates in high numbers. But with a population of just 3 million, the economy cannot absorb every single graduate.

Fast internet and our accelerated broadband policy will ensure quality connectivity and 5G’s advanced capabilities. The hope is that Namibians will be able to work remotely from Namibia in jobs outside the country, as well as delving into entrepreneurial activities and leveraging the digital economy. I think this will be possible with 5G technology and good-quality internet access. As we develop our National Development Plan Six, which will start next April, we will highlight some of these key areas.