The number of mobile phone users in Namibia is growing, with prepaid services driving this increase.
This is according to the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) Quarterly Statistics Bulletin for October to December 2025.
The figures indicate that Namibian mobile fuel use is up from 2.563 million in the same period in 2024.
This represents an overall growth of nearly 9% over the year.
CRAN’s executive for communication and consumer relations Mufaro Nesongano said active SIM cards increased by 4%, from 2.674 million in the third quarter of 2025 to 2.788 million in the fourth quarter.
Prepaid subscriptions grew by 5%, while postpaid subscriptions rose by a small 1%.
In the same period in 2024, there were 2.563 million active SIM cards. This means that, from the fourth quarter of 2024 to the fourth quarter of 2025, the total number of SIM cards grew by 225 000, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 9%.
The data shows that prepaid mobile services remain the preferred choice among consumers.
Mobile broadband use continues to rise, especially via phones and fixed wireless options. “Consumers still prefer prepaid mobile services,” said Nesongano.
Mobile broadband use is also climbing, mostly through phones. Dongle and router-based internet subscriptions rose by 10%, showing increased demand for fixed wireless connections.
Around 62% of SIM cards are used for internet access, pointing to steady growth in online connectivity.
In 2024, mobile broadband subscriptions were slightly lower, with fewer users relying on dongles and router-based internet. While exact numbers for 2024 are not given, the 10% increase in 2025 reflects a clear year-on-year growth in broadband adoption.
The proportion of SIM cards used for internet access has remained stable at around 62%, while internet usage expands alongside growth in mobile subscriptions.
Some areas, however, are shrinking. Machine-to-Machine subscriptions, used by businesses for connected devices, fell by 2%, and fixed-line subscriptions dropped slightly by 1%.
“Mobile voice calls are holding steady, but people are increasingly using data-based communication platforms,” said Nesongano.
Fixed broadband connectivity, however, continued to expand, with fixed internet subscriptions increasing by 8%, driven primarily by the ongoing rollout and adoption of fibre and fixed wireless technologies.
Meanwhile, the cybersecurity domain reported that cyber-threat events declined by approximately 53% in the fourth quarter of 2025.
However, exposure levels and underlying vulnerabilities remained unchanged, suggesting the decline may be attributable to changes in threat visibility, such as shifts in scanning campaigns, rather than a reduction in overall cyber risk.
Within the broadcasting sector, Pay-TV subscriptions declined by 6% during the quarter, reflecting shifts in consumer viewing habits and increased competition from over-the-top (OTT) streaming services.
Despite this, advertising revenue in the broadcasting sector remained stable, indicating consistent advertising demand.
“The postal sector remained stable during the reporting period. Overall utilisation levels showed minimal change, with post box occupancy maintained at 48% and private bag utilisation steady at 35%,” Nesongano added.