Allexer Namundjembo
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) is set to allocate a portion of its resources this financial year towards revitalising state-owned media institutions.
This announcement follows ICT minister Emma Theofelus’s presentation of a N$898 million budget allocation for the 2025/2026 financial year, an increase from the N$759 million allocated last year.
Theofelus provided justification for the ministry’s budget in Parliament on Wednesday, stating that the funds would facilitate digital transformation, enhance access to credible information, and strengthen public media houses.
Of the total budget, N$529 million is earmarked for the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC), and the Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA).
The NBC will receive the largest portion of the funds to improve its operations and support essential development projects, which include the launch of new television channels.
NEPC and NAMPA are also set to receive additional funding to expand coverage, upgrade infrastructure, and reach underserved areas.
Theofelus noted that Cabinet had approved the merger of NAMPA and NEPC to enhance efficiency and prevent duplication within state media.
She indicated that the budget reflects the government’s strategic aim to leverage information and communication technology for socio-economic development.
“Beyond media support, the ministry will invest in expanding broadband access, establishing cybersecurity frameworks, and implementing key legislative reforms, such as the operationalisation of the Electronic Transactions Act and the introduction of the Cybercrime Bill,” Theofelus stated.
Furthermore, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) will receive N$40 million from the Universal Service Fund to construct Radio Access Network sites in remote communities, with the project aiming to connect 22 schools and two clinics. The ministry has also allocated N$79 million for the construction and renovation of regional and head offices, prioritising the completion of the MICT Head Office, a project that has been on hold since 2016 due to funding challenges.
The budget presentation coincided with World Press Freedom Day, during which Theofelus celebrated the inclusion of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, deeming it a significant step in the country’s commitment to press freedom.
In related remarks, Gwen Lister, chairperson of the NMT Media Foundation, highlighted the Declaration’s crucial role in advancing media freedom and democracy.
She noted that it has inspired similar declarations globally, despite facing opposition from certain governments.
Lister asserted that the declaration remains pivotal in the ongoing struggle for independent and diverse media across Africa and beyond.
