The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) and NORED Electricity have entered into a five-year partnership to support the expansion of broadband connectivity into underserved and rural areas through closer coordination of telecommunications and electricity infrastructure.
The agreement will allow the two institutions to coordinate rural electrification and broadband projects, potentially enabling communications infrastructure to be planned alongside the expansion of electricity networks.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in Ondangwa on Tuesday, also covers information and data sharing, capacity building, regulatory cooperation and knowledge exchange.
CRAN Chief Executive Officer Emilia Nghikembua said the partnership is aimed at addressing infrastructure gaps that continue to constrain access to digital services in some parts of the country.
“The MoU represents an important milestone in strengthening collaboration between the communications and energy sectors. By working together, CRAN and NORED are laying the foundation for improved connectivity, enhanced service delivery, and greater socio-economic inclusion for all Namibians,” she said.
Nghikembua said coordinating infrastructure planning between the electricity and telecommunications sectors could support the development of solutions to extend broadband services and digital opportunities to communities with limited connectivity.
Under the agreement, the two institutions will hold regular consultations and exchange information on infrastructure and other matters of mutual interest.
CRAN personnel will also be included on NORED’s electricity outage communication platform, giving the regulator timely information on planned outages that could affect telecommunications networks and services.
NORED Chief Executive Officer Silvester Wayiti said integrating electricity and communications infrastructure planning could improve the delivery of essential services to remote communities.
“Reliable electricity and modern communications infrastructure are both critical enablers of economic growth and improved quality of life. This partnership positions our organisations to work more effectively together in supporting national development priorities and ensuring that communities benefit from integrated infrastructure planning,” he said.
The five-year agreement will also support capacity building, regulatory cooperation and knowledge exchange between the two institutions as they seek to improve infrastructure development and digital inclusion across Namibia.
