Ongwediva:The ninth National ICT Summit is focusing on leveraging digital technology to address unemployment and poverty in Namibia, emphasizing job creation, youth empowerment, and expanding digital opportunities across the country.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology Executive Director Linda Nakale stated that the four-day summit in Ongwediva would explore how ICT could improve livelihoods and create economic opportunities. The event is themed 'Harnessing ICT for Inclusive Growth Digital Pathways to Reduce Unemployment and Eradicate Poverty.'

Nakale highlighted that technology should help reduce inequality and ensure that all Namibians can participate in and benefit from the digital economy. Hosting the summit outside Windhoek aligns with the government's decentralization agenda and underscores the importance of extending digital development to regional communities.

Held at the Ongwediva Trade Fair Centre, the summit gathers policymakers, technology experts, academics, industry stakeholders, and grassroots innovators. Nakale emphasized that ICT could bridge the urban-rural divide by providing marginalized communities, small businesses, and rural sectors with access to digital infrastructure, tools, and skills.

She noted the potential of digital entrepreneurship, content creation, freelance work, and software development to create employment opportunities and enable young people to become job creators rather than job seekers. Moreover, technology could assist small-scale farmers, traders, and artisans in accessing wider markets, obtaining information, and improving their livelihoods.

Nakale mentioned that graduates in rural areas could acquire digital skills online, apply for jobs nationwide, work remotely, or establish businesses catering to both local and international clients. The summit aims to develop practical solutions, policy frameworks, and partnerships to stimulate economic growth, reduce unemployment, and contribute to poverty eradication.

Key priorities identified include expanding broadband coverage, reducing data costs, integrating digital literacy into education, and encouraging investment in digital innovation outside Windhoek. The event features a Youth Day Hackathon showcasing youth-led digital prototypes addressing community challenges, potentially creating opportunities for investment and business incubation.

While Namibia has made progress in implementing its National Digital Strategy, expanding broadband infrastructure, and developing digital skills, Nakale stressed that achieving inclusive growth requires cooperation between government, industry, academia, and communities. She urged summit participants to move beyond discussions and develop practical, sustainable solutions to ensure digital opportunities reach all regions and communities.