Africa-Press – Namibia. Minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus at the Namibia International Cybersecurity Conference & Exhibition, Windhoek, 16 July 2025
It gives me great pleasure to join you at the Namibia International Cybersecurity Conference & Exhibition 2025 – a timely and critical gathering as we confront the rapidly evolving threats of cybercrime, scams, digital fraud and cyberbullying.
These challenges cut across borders, sectors and institutions. They demand vigilance, innovation, and above all, collaboration. And that is exactly what this platform represents.
Let me start by commending the organisers for their foresight and proactiveness. We need more spaces like these – where the public sector, private sector, academia, civil society and young people can come together not just to talk, but to build solutions. It is also vital that the tech industry speaks to itself. The industry should collaborate, pool capital and partners to solve our common problems.
Where the government is needed to push policy or reform to allow the private sector to thrive, let us know. Because above all, we must be determined to use technology to create jobs and solve Namibia’s unemployment crisis.
Today, I am also pleased to launch CyberShield Magazine, the official publication of this event – a platform for insight, leadership and bold ideas in cybersecurity. I encourage everyone here to read it, contribute to it and amplify its message. I therefore declare the CyberShield Magazine officially launched.
Equally exciting is the ‘Scam Report Namibia’ mobile application. This is a proudly Namibian innovation. This app allows citizens to report scams, receive real-time alerts and access tips to stay safe online. It’s not just a tool; it is an investor-ready digital solution designed to tackle cyber threats at the grassroots level. I urge our partners here to support its scale-up across the country.
As a ministry, we continue to lead from the front. Our cybersecurity awareness campaign is ongoing, with weekly online awareness sessions open to the public and institutions. We also provide training to organisations upon request and I encourage all of you to attend, participate and invite your networks.
We have also made significant progress on the cybercrime bill, with drafting work now underway in earnest. Admittedly, part of the delay has been due to a lack of local expertise in cyber law – a challenge we also encountered with the data protection bill. This underscores the urgent need to build national capacity in ICT legislation, and I want to state clearly today that the ministry is open to supporting and collaborating on any project focused on strengthening legal and policy capacity in the digital space. Without this, we cannot thrive in the digital economy.
Cybersecurity is not just a technical issue; it is also a matter of ethics. The way we engage with each other online reflects our values as a society. To this end, the ministry will soon be launching a national ethical use of social media campaign, to encourage responsible digital citizenship and protect vulnerable groups from abuse.
I wish to acknowledge the over 70 cybersecurity experts here today – your knowledge, your experience and your presence in Namibia this week are invaluable. Please use this platform to share generously, network widely and help shape a safer digital future for our continent.
Let me end by reaffirming that the Namibian government remains fully committed to strengthening our national cybersecurity posture through policy, investment and innovation.
Let us all – government, companies, educators, civil society and young innovators – take an active role in safeguarding our digital future.
Together, we will build a Namibia where the promise of digital technology is matched by the power of digital trust and security.
I thank you.
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