Africa-Press – Namibia.
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has announced that a significant portion of its N$898.5 million budget for the 2025/26 financial year will be allocated to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and government’s efforts to bridge the digital divide.
There is a deliberate focus on rural areas, MICT minister Emma Theofelus said.
Breaking down the budget, she said the NBC will receive N$361.9 million for its operational budget, and an additional N$140 million for development initiatives.
She noted that the funds will support key projects and content production to improve the NBC’s efficiency, service delivery and public broadcasting.
Operational costs, including those related to the employment of temporary contract staff, form the bulk of the NBC’s recurrent expenditure.
“A dedicated television channel will be launched to broadcast parliamentary proceedings. This aims to ensure broader access, particularly for rural communities without access to televisions or smart devices. The NBC will also explore ways to expand radio coverage of parliamentary sessions. Importantly, this service will not generate revenue for the broadcaster,” Theofelus said.
Other priorities include educational programming, local content-commissioning for both television and radio, and the coverage of national and special events.
Meanwhile, the Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) and New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC), whose merger is said to be imminent, will each receive N$27.7 million to enhance news and information dissemination, and ensure that the Namibian story is told accurately and comprehensively.
Additionally, the ministry’s coordination and support programme has been allocated N$82.1 million to support efficient internal administration. Of this, N$79 million is earmarked for the construction of new regional offices and the ministry’s head office. This includes N$16 million to complete the Hardap regional office, and N$12.2 million to begin the construction of regional offices in the //Kharas and Kunene regions. A further N$51 million will be allocated for the head office, a project initially launched in 2016 but delayed due to economic constraints.
To promote ICT development, N$17 million will go towards policy implementation and infrastructure coordination, with a focus on bridging the digital divide through rural ICT centres.
“For the 2025/2026 financial year, we aim to fully operationalise the Electronic Transactions Act,” said Theofelus.
She furthermore announced the formation of an Online Consumer Affairs Committee under the Electronic Information Systems Management Advisory Council to oversee secure digital services.
“We are committed to modernising public service delivery. Implementing secure, accredited e-signatures will allow digital validation of documents across both government and the private sector, reducing reliance on manual processes,” she continued.
In addition, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) will receive N$40 million through the Universal Service Fund to establish Radio Access Networks (RAN) at 15 sites.
This initiative prioritises mobile broadband and voice services for 22 schools and two clinics across underserved areas in regions including Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Omusati, Kavango East, Kunene, Zambezi, Omaheke, //Kharas and Otjozondjupa. Public Wi-Fi hotspots will be installed at each RAN site.
Additional funds will support the operations of the Namibia Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (Nam-CSIRT) and the implementation of the National Cybersecurity Strategy. This includes the development of cybersecurity hygiene policies, child online protection guidelines, and the tabling of the Cybercrime Bill as well as amendments to the Communications Act in Parliament.
The Print Media division has been allocated N$21.2 million to ensure public access to government information and the coordination of official communications across platforms.
“Through the Nationhood and National Pride Programme, we will soon launch a behavioural change campaign under the theme #EndGBVNamibia to combat the rise in gender-based violence. Other campaigns will focus on ethical social media use, anti-poaching, promoting national symbols and the Clean-Up Namibia initiative,” said Theofelus.
The Namibia Film Commission secretariat (NFC) has been allocated N$7.5 million for the Namibia Film and Video Development Fund. The ministry also plans to amend the NFC Act, and draft new regulations to formalise and sustain the film sector and transform the commission into an autonomous body.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
