Telecom Namibia has been given four months to stabilise its network after repeated nationwide service outages prompted regulatory intervention by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN).
The regulator said the state-owned telecommunications operator suffered multiple disruptions between January and May 2026, affecting voice, data and messaging services across the country and raising concerns about the reliability of one of Namibia’s key communications networks.
Following a formal engagement with Telecom Namibia on 3 June, CRAN outlined a series of corrective measures that the operator must implement immediately, while warning that further regulatory action could follow if service quality standards are not met.
CRAN Chief Executive Officer Emilia Nghikembua said the outages were caused by a combination of access system failures, power interruptions, fibre network faults, hardware failures, transport infrastructure challenges and increasing incidents of copper theft.
The regulator revealed that more than 80 cases of copper theft were recorded in the first four months of the year, undermining connectivity and exposing vulnerabilities in Telecom Namibia’s ageing infrastructure.
To address the challenges, Telecom Namibia has committed to replacing fragile network equipment, strengthening backup power systems, improving international connectivity and intensifying measures to combat copper theft.
Beyond the immediate interventions, the company is expected to develop a broader turnaround strategy focused on modernising its network infrastructure, upgrading backbone capacity, expanding international links and overhauling critical billing and core systems.
CRAN said the measures are necessary but warned that they will not be sufficient without substantial capital investment.
“Telecom Namibia requires significant capital investment, whether through debt, equity or other appropriate instruments, to modernise and consolidate its network,” Nghikembua said.
“Short-term interventions will not, on their own, cure the present deficiencies.”
The regulator indicated that sustained investment and structural reforms are required to ensure the operator’s long-term viability and its ability to provide reliable communications services.
CRAN also confirmed that it will conduct a detailed assessment of Telecom Namibia’s compliance with quality-of-service regulations and licence conditions.
Where non-compliance is identified, the regulator said enforcement measures could include fines and penalties.
The intervention comes as pressure mounts on Telecom Namibia to improve service reliability amid growing dependence on digital communications by businesses, government institutions and consumers.
CRAN said it would closely monitor implementation of the agreed measures and treat any future instability with urgency given the critical role telecommunications infrastructure plays in the economy.
