David Adetona
The Namibia International Cybersecurity Conference and Exhibition 2025 recently took place in the capital to address and combat digital threats.
The event brought together industry experts, government representatives, and technology professionals to discuss emerging trends, challenges, and innovations in cybersecurity.
Key topics addressed included cyber threat intelligence, harmful virus, data protection regulations, and the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing security measures.
The conference also featured panel discussions and interactive sessions on the advanced cyber-crimes, security, protection, defence and technologies, providing practical insights for the participants.
Most of the speakers emphasized the need for increased investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and skills development to protect critical digital national assets.
Emma Theofelus, Minister of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), in a speech read on her behalf by the MICT’s ICT Development Director, Linda Aipinge-Nakale, highlighted the establishment of the Scam Report Namibia mobile application, a local digital innovation that enables citizens to report deceptions or fraud, receive real-time alerts, and access online safety tips.
In stressing the importance of cybercrime prevention, the minister reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to its cybersecurity awareness campaign that is ongoing with weekly online training sessions open to the public and institutions upon request.
She explained that the ministry has made significant progress on the drafting of the Cybercrime Bill. “But admittedly, part of the delay has been due to a lack of local expertise in cyber law, a challenge the MICT also encountered with the Data Protection Bill,” she added.
“The ministry is open to supporting and collaborating on projects aimed at strengthening legal and policy capacity in the digital space, as it is crucial for our digital economy’s success,” the minister noted.
Paulinus Sheehama, the chairperson of Namibia International Cybersecurity Conference and Exhibition 2025 said: “The purpose of this conference is to create a dynamic space where experts, policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders come together to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and forge partnerships that will strengthen our collective ability to safeguard Namibia’s digital landscape”.
*David Adetona is an information officer for the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.