Wedoany.com Report on Feb 7th, The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has recently proposed a significant policy initiative aimed at accelerating the country's digital transformation: implementing tax relief and additional incentives for 4G equipment to reduce the market price of 4G smartphones and end-user devices, thereby promoting the widespread adoption of mobile broadband networks nationwide. This proposal was formally announced by CRAN CEO Emilia Nghikembua during the inauguration ceremony of a new telecommunications tower built by operator Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) in the Kunene region, highlighting a strategic approach of coordinating infrastructure deployment with end-user access policies.
In her speech, Nghikembua emphasized: "Network adoption is the core of digital transformation. Building base stations is not an end in itself, but rather an enabler for connectivity." She pointed out that the current high price of 4G devices is a key bottleneck preventing people from accessing high-speed mobile networks. Taking the Kunene region as an example, although MTC has built 74 4G base stations in the area, the actual network utilization rate is only close to 50%, reflecting the real-world dilemma of "having networks but no devices."
The activation of the telecommunications tower in the Kunene region and the proposal for tax relief come at a critical stage for Namibia's efforts to bridge the digital divide and strengthen network coverage in remote and underserved communities. In October 2025, the country's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, in collaboration with Angola, accessed the Angosat-2 satellite resource, aiming to enhance connectivity in remote areas through satellite communication. In August of the same year, MTC launched a rural network optimization plan codenamed "Project Buffalo," focusing on improving mobile signal quality and network availability in the rural areas of the four northern provinces. If implemented, the tax relief policy would form a "network + device" dual-drive mechanism with the aforementioned infrastructure projects, further stimulating demand for network usage, especially among users in rural and low-income groups.
Currently, Namibia's mobile telecommunications market is primarily dominated by two operators: Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) and Telecom Namibia. According to data from market research firm Omdia as of the end of 2025, MTC has approximately 1.8 million mobile subscribers, with 4G users accounting for about 26%; Telecom Namibia, while having a smaller total subscriber base (288,000), has a significantly higher proportion of 4G users at 68%, indicating differences in user structure under different market strategies. Overall, there is still significant room for improvement in the nationwide 4G penetration rate.
If the tax relief policy is successfully implemented, it is expected to directly lower the barrier for consumers to purchase devices, improve the accessibility of 4G equipment, and thereby drive a virtuous cycle of increased mobile data service usage and improved return on network investment for operators. Nghikembua summarized this by stating: "Even after we complete the infrastructure deployment, the core issue remains how to ensure communities can truly access, afford, and effectively use it." This policy direction is not only about short-term market stimulation but will also profoundly impact Namibia's digital economy foundation and the future development prospects of an inclusive society, providing crucial support for the country to gain an advantage in regional digital competition.
