“STIMULATING THE
NAMIBIAN DIGITAL
ECONOMY”
Prepared by: Helene Vosloo
Head: Economics and Sector
Research

The Namibian Economy
Is a:
– Network,
– Goods and services that are freely produced,
– Goods and services are exchanged
= demand and supply,
– Via cash or credit

FARM
The Economic Cycle
AUCTION
RESTAURANT SERVICE
BUTCHER – JOBS

The Namibian “DIGITAL”
Economy
… is based on:
-ICT infrastructure
-to allow new opportunities/challenges
-for business and government.

FARM
The Namibian “DIGITAL” Economy
AUCTION
RESTAURANT SERVICE
BUTCHER – JOBS

“DIGITAL” Economy…based on ICT Infrastructure

“DIGITAL” Economy…based on
ICT Infrastructure

Contribution to Namibian GDP
ICT is an ENABLER!
ICT is a catalyst!
ICT is the foundation!

Contribution to Namibian GDP
• ICT continues to add significantly to economic development specifically development to
Namibian economy

ICT Contribution to Namibian GDP
2007: 2.9% = N$1833m
2008: 2.9% = N$ 1883m
NAMIBIAN
ECONOMY
(mining, fishing, tourism, agriculture etc.)
Research ICT Africa, 2010

ICT Contribution to Other
Economies
• Mauritius 6.7%
• Ghana 1.8%
• Nigeria 3.5%
• South Africa 10%

“DIGITAL” Economy…based on
ICT Infrastructure
– new opportunities/challenges business and
government?
- LOCAL AND RELEVANT CONTENT
- HIGHER SPEED
- NEW INFRASTRUCTURE
- HUMAN RESOURCES
- ICT SKILLS
- INNOVATE – NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
- CAPEX FUNDING
- NEW POLICIES, LAWS AND REGULATIONS

“DIGITAL” Economy…based on
ICT Infrastructure
• New opportunities for innovation?
• Future daily use of ICT’s in Namibia to be stimulated?
- Local and relevant content
- Knowledge creation
- Develop software and applications – games,
Internet banking, Internet websites, anti-virus programs, etc.

Current Daily use of ICT’s in
Namibia?

Future Daily use of ICT’s in
Namibia to be stimulated?

Opportunities for Innovation?
Namibian Born Herman Heunis

DTT: Opportunity for
Innovation?

“DIGITAL” Economy…based on
ICT Infrastructure
– Does Namibia have the above in place?
– How is Namibia ranked internationally w.r.t. the digital economy?

Namiba’s Ranking by the Global
Competitiveness Report
• Namibia was ranked by 2 recent reports on the ICT sector:
– The Global Competitiveness Report
– The Global Information Technology Report
• The Global Competitiveness Report measured Namibia i.t.o.
technological
Readiness.
• Namibia was ranked 99 th out of 142 countries.

Namiba’s Ranking by the Global
Competitiveness Report
• Technological Readiness:
– the speed to adopt existing technologies,
– to enhance the productivity of industries,
– with specific emphasis on its capacity to fully utilise ICT for innovation,
– in daily activities and production processes,
– for increased efficiency and competitiveness.

Namibia’s Ranking by the Global
Information Technology Report
• The Global Information Technology Report ranks countries according to an index called
Networked Readiness.
• It is developed from 10 pillars constituting several indices.
• Namibia ranks 105 th out of 142 countries.

Networked Readiness Index 2012
Ten Pillars of Networked Readiness Index
140
120
100
80
60
87
97
126
104
111
68
108
116
118
40
20
33
0
PILLAR 1: POLITICAL
AND REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENT
PILLAR 2: BUSINESS
AND INNOVATION
ENVIRONMENT
PILLAR 3:
INFRASTRUCTRE
AND DIGITAL
CONTENT
PILLAR 4:
AFFORDABILITY
PILLAR 5: SKILLS PILLAR 6:
INDIVIDUAL USAGE
PILLAR 7: BUSINESS
USAGE
PILLAR 8:
GOVERNMENT
USAGE
Pillar
PILLAR 9:
ECONOMICS
IMPACTS
PILLAR 10: SOCIAL
IMPACTS

PILLAR 1: Political and Regulatory
Environment

PILLAR 2: Business and Innovation
Environment
Definition Rating
Measures the quality of the business framework
conditions to boost entrepreneurship.
This pillar also measures the presence of conditions that allow
innovation to flourish.
87
Recommendations
Dedicated entrepreneurship and innovation support centres to be created in partnership with tertiary institutions,
MICT/MTI/NPC and
CRAN
Dedicated entrepreneurship and innovation support: focused specifically on
WOMEN AND GIRLS!

PILLAR 3: Infrastructure and Digital
Content

PILLAR 3: Infrastructure and Digital
Content

PILLAR 4: Affordability

Some Current Namibian Statistics
Namibia 3 rd Cheapest In Africa in March 2012

PILLAR 5: Skills

PILLAR 6: Individual Usage

PILLAR 7: Business Usage

PILLAR 8: Government Usage

PILLAR 8: Government Usage

PILLAR 9: Economic Impacts

PILLAR 10: Social Impacts

Social and Economic Impact – MDG 2015
• E-Job creation – reduce poverty
• E-skills training and development
– Primary ICT Education
• E-health
• Gender Economic Empowerment

Social and Economic Impact
• Targets:
– Growing industrial sector
– Modernised agricultural sector
– Educated and Healthy people

Social and Economic Impact
• How:
– Modern ICT Infrastructure
• Amend VISON 2030 to address the knowledge-based economy

Social and Economic Impact
– ICT Infrastructure development
“Modern, reliable infrastructure is critical for high and sustained economic growth. Without such infrastructure, almost everything in the economic value chain tends to be slower, less reliable, and more expensive than necessary. ”

Social and Economic Impact
• NDP4
– High and sustained economic growth
– Increased income equality
– Employment creation

Social and Economic Impact
• NDP4
– Identify and Deploy strategically identified ICT
Projects, Software and Applications Development for targeted interventions in strategic economic sectors, by partnering between the USF and NPC :
• Logistics
• Tourism
• Manufacturing
• Agriculture

Conclusion

ICT Ecosystem

Namibian ICT Ecosystem
It starts with the citizen!
The citizens aspirations and hope for a decent quality of living!

1

Finally…
• LETS START THE NATIONAL DISCUSSION:
– ON DEVELOPING A NAMIBIAN ICT ECOSYSTEM
ROADMAP
– THAT IS BASED ON THE DIGITAL ECONOMY…

Discussions have started between…

Thank you!