Emerging Technology
One significant component of a green economy strategy is to promote the development and adoption of sustainable technologies - Directly linked to SDG 8. Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through technological upgrading.
National Digital Strategy
The worldwide trend over the last 20 years confirms that digitisation is and will continue to be critical to any country’s economic growth. This growth is facilitated by institutions, government, and industry, who are intentional about the creation, deployment, and management of this process.
Namibia is a small country whose size should create an advantage in its ability to deploy digital initiatives and technologies effectively and nimbly. Without swift and deliberate interventions that will transition Namibia’s current economic model from extractive industries to a knowledge-based economy, growth will be stymied and insufficient for the future.
To accelerate this transition, the National Digital Strategy sets forth a comprehensive plan to achieve Namibia’s digital aspirations through the achievement of the following objectives:
Objectives 3 and 4 are enabled by the following 5 strategic pillars and their respective implementation plans.
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Digital infrastructure: Improve affordable access to and speed of the internet to leverage digitalization opportunities and build partnerships to achieve last mile connectivity.
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Digital Skills: Develop a digitally literate population that can take advantage of the opportunities of the digital economy.
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Digital Government: Improve government data sharing and deliver secure and accessible digital public services.
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Industry and innovation: Policy direction and adoption of digital business services. Improve Namibia’s ability to engage in the global technology market.
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Policy and regulation: Ensure a robust and agile ICT legislative environment that creates an enabling policy environment for innovation, entrepreneurship and public-private partnerships.
Finally, a public awareness campaign promoting the National Digital Strategy will be actioned. In addition, a media campaign spotlighting Namibian digitalisations success stories and profiles will help achieve objective 5.
Strategy development methodology
In developing the NDS, a collaborative and participatory methodology was employed. The techniques used are part of an open research enquiry approach to ensure that it is both inclusive and contextually sound.
A summary is provided of the key steps and methods used throughout the research process inclusive of the stakeholder consultation sessions which were used as a basis for collecting emerging insights and primary research. The methodology employed four phases: an in depth theoretical deep dive (landscape assessment); in person and virtual stakeholder consultations; a national survey and expert interviews to further validate research
Digital landscape assessment
Desktop research on Namibia’s digital readiness – including literature review, benchmarking, and policy mapping.
Stakeholder consultations
Gathering a wide spectrum of stakeholders to co-create the direction and focus of the digital strategy.
Expert interviews
1-1 interviews with domain experts to understand the technical aspects of challenges and opportunities for digital development.
National Survey
Nationally disseminated survey gauging the publics behaviors, priorities, and concerns about digitalisation
Interviews were held online using a semi-structured interview guide. With participants consent, online interviews were recorded to be analysed afterward. The qualitative analysis aimed to validate the rigor, feasibility, scope and sustainability of proposed priorities and solutions.
National Survey5
While key findings extracted from the inception report and stakeholder workshops provided an insightful baseline, primary data was obtained using a mixed method approach6 to further guide and validate the development of the national digital strategy.
Quantitative data was collected through a multi-page electronic survey (appendix 6) which included a variety of short answers, multiple choice, gradient scale, and binary questions. The results of the survey were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software to investigate significant differences among respondents based on age groups, gender, and urban-rural categories.
The primary objectives of the quantitative assessment were to explore user behaviors with regards to digital engagement and to elucidate the general public’s perceptions with regards to priorities and challenges for digital transformation. To ensure a broad and inclusive sample, an outreach campaign was led through social medial channels, stakeholder networks, as well as public personality amplifications
