Julia Heita
Namibia’s premier mobile telecommunications company, MTC, has reaffirmed its commitment to national development by investing in education to prepare future innovators and leaders.
Speaking at MTC’s 30th anniversary celebration in Windhoek on Monday, the managing director, Licky Erastus, said the next phase of the company’s work will prioritise sustainable investments in education, arts and culture, sports, health, and entrepreneurship.
“As we journey towards the next 30 years in MTC’s history and that of our country, we must prioritise education so that we prepare a generation of innovators, a generation of servant leaders, a generation that will not tolerate corruption and a generation that will always look after the interests of all Namibians equally. It is our collective responsibility to build that generation by making meaningful investments today,” said Erastus.
Erastus said MTC had achieved many milestones over the past 30 years, but must do more.
“The reality demands that we do more. It demands that we do not stop but rather reinvent and innovate to transform lives,” he said.
He also reaffirmed the company’s support for the government’s development goals through inclusive digital services and social investments.
“Today, we celebrate the loyalty of our customers who stood beside us in good and bad times. We celebrate the Namibian government, which took a bold decision to start its own mobile telecommunications company,” Erastus said.
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, in his message, said data sovereignty and inclusive access must remain a top priority.
“We must deliberately have sovereignty over data. We must invariably be able to ensure that our national interest and security are protected and not compromised,” said Ngurare.
Nguarare added that there is a need to be inclusive in making sure that every Namibian has equal access to quality connectivity, regardless of their geographical location.
He urged MTC to increase its current 98% population coverage to 100%.
Since launching its services, MTC has introduced several key developments. In 2006, it launched 3G. In 2012, it became the second operator in Africa to roll out a 4G network.
In 2016, it trialled 4.5G. A year later, the company launched the N$1 billion 081Every1 campaign to close the digital gap. In 2021, MTC became the first state-owned company to list on the Namibian Stock Exchange.
In 2023, it became the first in Africa to implement the 2022 version of ISO 27001.
In 2024, MTC began the country’s first 5G mobile network trial in partnership with Huawei.
