• Namibia and Botswana met in Swakopmund to boost digital cooperation and broadband growth.

• They toured the WACS cable site and explored opportunities for regional integration and digital transformation.

• Internet access is expanding, but rural areas continue to face high costs and limited coverage. 

Namibia and Botswana have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing digital cooperation and regional connectivity through a high-level bilateral working visit held in Swakopmund, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia announced on October 12.

Hon. Emma Theofelus, Namibia’s Minister of Information and Communication Technology, and her Botswana counterpart, Hon. David Tshere, led the discussions aimed at strengthening collaboration in digital infrastructure, innovation, and broadband expansion.

The delegation toured the West Africa Submarine Cable System (WACS) landing site—an essential gateway linking Namibia to global internet networks—and held engagements with representatives from Telecom Namibia, MTC Namibia, the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), and the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) to explore opportunities for regional integration and digital transformation.

The latest engagement builds on more than a decade of ICT cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. In 2012, both governments jointly supported the landing of the WACS cable in Swakopmund, investing about N$320 million each to enhance international bandwidth access.

In recent years, private sector players such as Paratus have complemented these efforts through the Trans-Kalahari Fibre (TKF) and Botswana Kalahari Fibre (BKF) routes, which connect Johannesburg to Swakopmund via Gaborone and Walvis Bay. The 840 km BKF route, completed in March 2024, represents a BWP 70 million investment that positions Botswana to access Namibia’s undersea cable capacity directly.

Regulatory bodies CRAN and BOCRA have also signed memoranda of understanding on data protection, cybersecurity, and roaming harmonization, with cross-border roaming charges set to be reduced in 2024 to support affordable connectivity for travelers and businesses.

While Namibia’s internet penetration stands at 62 percent and Botswana’s at approximately 77 percent, according to Internet Society data, both countries continue to face challenges in rural coverage and affordability. The expansion of fibre links, improved cross-border coordination, and digital policy alignment are expected to lower costs and extend access to underserved communities.

Hikmatu Bilali