Namibia must urgently address policy and infrastructure shortfalls if it is to fully harness artificial intelligence (AI) for inclusive economic growth, according to the Namibian Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Report launched in Windhoek.
Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Dino Ballotti, said the report underscored the need for a coordinated strategy to guide AI development in line with human rights, transparency and accountability principles.
“We take a bold and necessary step in positioning Namibia on the global map of ethical, inclusive and forward-thinking artificial intelligence development,” he said.
The report notes that Namibia has made progress through investments in digital infrastructure, STEM education, and legislation such as the Access to Information Act of 2022 and the draft Data Protection Bill. However, Ballotti acknowledged that the absence of a dedicated AI strategy and regulatory framework poses risks.
“Namibia currently has no dedicated national AI strategy or policy, which limits our ability to coordinate and govern AI development in a holistic and forward-looking manner,” he said.
The report highlights persistent digital divides along gender, income, geography and disability lines, with broadband access, digital literacy and device availability still limited in rural and low-income areas. Ballotti warned that low levels of public awareness and limited capacity within the media and civil society to engage with AI issues undermine inclusive policy dialogue and democratic oversight.
“Public awareness of AI is low and media and civil society capacity to critically engage with AI issues is limited. This undermines inclusive policy dialogue and democratic oversight,” he said.
Recommendations in the report include formulating a national AI strategy, establishing a multi-stakeholder advisory council, strengthening data governance, investing in infrastructure, fostering public-private partnerships, and embedding ethics into education.
“Formulating a national AI strategy, strengthening data governance, supporting innovation, promoting digital literacy, and embedding AI into national development planning are all essential actions that must be pursued together,” Ballotti said.
The government has committed to a rights-based approach and plans to collaborate with public, private, academic and civil society partners to ensure equitable and sustainable AI adoption. Namibia will also participate in a UNESCO-led Regional Forum on AI Ethics to bolster continental cooperation.
“This launch is not an end. It is a beginning. A national conversation has started, and it is now our shared responsibility to ensure that artificial intelligence works for the many, not the few,” Ballotti said.
