The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) says the country’s data infrastructure is ready to support the implementation of the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) framework, a system designed to strengthen digital security and trust in online transactions.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on the PKI, Elton Witbooi, CRAN’s Executive for ICT, said that although Namibia currently has only one Tier 3 data centre, the infrastructure is sufficient to support the secure rollout of the framework.
“In the context of PKI, the data that enables and drives the process is primarily the certificate management data, which is transactional data used for the management of keys and that is minimal. This data can, of course, be hosted within the different certification service providers,” he said.
The PKI framework forms the technical foundation of modern digital security systems. It uses digital certificates and encryption to verify identities, protect sensitive information, and enable electronic signatures. This ensures that data exchanged online is authentic and secure from unauthorised access or manipulation.
Witbooi said CRAN had undertaken benchmarking assessments which confirmed that both CRAN and the Ministry of Home Affairs operate facilities that meet the required standards for key generation and secure data management.
He added that while PKI-related data can be safely handled within existing infrastructure, end-user data remains the responsibility of individual institutions such as banks, telecommunications operators, and other entities that manage sensitive customer information.
To strengthen capacity further, Witbooi said the Office of the Prime Minister is leading plans to establish a dedicated government data centre, which will enhance Namibia’s digital infrastructure and support broader digital transformation efforts.
Under the Electronic Transactions Act No. 4 of 2019, CRAN has been appointed as the Root Certification Authority responsible for implementing the PKI framework and ensuring compliance with security standards.
CRAN said the rollout of the system will pave the way for more secure communication, digital signatures, and online identity verification across both public and private sectors, laying the foundation for a safer and more trusted digital economy.
