Patience Makwele
Namibia and Botswana have identified 13 additional telecommunications sites needed to close persistent connectivity gaps along the Trans-Kalahari Corridor (TKC), with the infrastructure upgrade estimated to require about N$52 million.
The disclosure was made in Kasane, Botswana, on Friday as the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in information and communication technology (ICT), aimed at strengthening digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital skills, regulatory cooperation and digital transformation.
Speaking at the event, information and communication technology minister Emma Theofelus said a comprehensive assessment of the TKC had been undertaken to identify areas requiring investment to achieve continuous 4G coverage along the strategic transport route.
“The assessment identified the need for the deployment of thirteen additional sites, representing an estimated investment of approximately N$52 million,” Theofelus said.
The TKC is an important trade and transport route linking Namibia and Botswana and extending towards South Africa, making reliable communication infrastructure critical for motorists, freight operators, businesses and communities along the corridor.
The connectivity push comes as Namibia and Botswana move beyond agreements and toward physical infrastructure linking the two countries.
Theofelus said Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has completed its fibre network from Gobabis to the Buitepos border, where it is directly interconnected with Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) at Charles Hill in Botswana.
She described the connection as the first direct cross-border fibre link between the two operators, creating opportunities for wholesale carrier services, digital trade, regional telecommunications integration and improved network resilience.
MTC and BoFiNet have since begun commercial discussions to operationalise the corridor through IP transit, wholesale capacity, carrier-to-carrier connectivity, redundancy solutions and future international routing into South Africa.
The development could also strengthen Namibia’s position as a regional digital transit route, particularly as the two countries explore links to international submarine cable systems.
Despite progress in physical connectivity, the two countries continue to face challenges in making cross-border telecommunications commercially sustainable.
Theofelus said Namibia and Botswana have been monitoring their cross-border roaming initiative through biannual data collection and stakeholder engagements.
While the initiative has improved regional connectivity and communication, she said low traffic volumes have affected the financial sustainability of participating operators.
Engagements with operators, including Telecom Namibia, are therefore continuing to identify solutions to sustain the service.
Telecom Namibia is also planning upgrades to improve coverage along the TKC, including upgrading selected sites currently offering only 2G and 3G services to support 4G.
The company is implementing core network infrastructure to enable 4G roaming, while identifying additional locations where new sites will be required to eliminate remaining coverage gaps.
The national operator also plans to increase the capacity of its backbone network along routes serving the TKC, potentially allowing Botswana access to additional transmission capacity through Namibia.
The ICT agreement provides a framework for cooperation in areas including broadband and digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital government, policy and regulation, innovation, research, emerging technologies and capacity building.
Botswana’s minister of communications and innovation, David Tshere, said the agreement should not remain a ceremonial commitment, arguing that its success would ultimately depend on implementation.
He said Botswana and Namibia should identify practical initiatives around affordable connectivity, cybersecurity, digital skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital public services and cross-border digital trade.
“We should be ambitious enough to ask not only what we can learn from each other, but what we can build together,” Tshere said.
Botswana is pursuing its own expansion of digital infrastructure, with the government targeting broadband connectivity for more than 500 villages by 2030 through initiatives including the Universal Access and Service Fund and SmartBots Programme.
Tshere said more than 228 villages had already benefited from network upgrades from 3G to 4G under the Universal Access and Service Fund.
Botswana is also positioning itself to expand its role in the regional digital economy through investments in data centres, international connectivity and digital government services.
The cooperation extended beyond connectivity, with both countries seeking to strengthen their ability to respond to increasingly cross-border cyber threats.
Namibia’s National Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (NAM-CSIRT) and Botswana’s BW-CIRT have already been collaborating on information sharing, capacity building, policy benchmarking and international cooperation.
Theofelus said the partnership would also support efforts to strengthen digital skills, institutional capacity and opportunities for small and medium enterprises.
The two countries are expected to establish a dedicated working committee to oversee implementation of the MoU and develop an action plan setting out timelines and cost implications.
The action plan is expected to be ready ahead of the mid-term review of the second session of the Namibia-Botswana Bi-National Commission.
The 13 proposed additional sites and estimated N$52 million investment provide a concrete measure of what closing the remaining connectivity gap could require.
