Windhoek: The Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Cybersecurity Centre on Thursday to strengthen the nation's digital resilience. The agreement, signed in the capital, will facilitate collaboration between the two organisations to raise awareness of cyber threats, enhance cybersecurity knowledge, and provide specialised training for public servants across Namibia.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the initiative will further ensure that those managing government data and digital infrastructure are prepared to address modern cyber threats. NIPAM Executive Director, Dr Heroldt Murangi, during the signing ceremony, stressed that no individual or institution is immune to cyberattacks, which can occur at any time and from various sources. He said the partnership is timely as NIPAM works to build capacity within the public sector.
'I want this MoU to remain active throughout the next three years, and I have already outlined the focus areas. There must be cybersecurity seminars, training programmes, finalised learning materials, and the conversion of these materials into online content,' he said.
NIPAM's Director of Training, Consultancy, Research, and Capacity Evaluation, Rebekka Kakololo stated that the cybersecurity training program will provide public servants with essential knowledge, practical skills, and ethical awareness to safeguard government information systems and digital assets against cyber threats and data breaches. 'This MoU aligns directly with NIPAM's role in implementing the Namibia National Digital Strategy, particularly under the Digital Government Strategic Pillar and the Strategic Objective of Change Management and Public Sector Capacity. Our shared outcomes are clear: to ensure a digitally literate public service that champions digital government and to build a sustainable pipeline of competent public-sector IT specialists capable of maintaining and securing government IT," she remarked.
Samson Muhapi, Director of the Global Cybersecurity Centre, announced a recent agreement with Melbourne Security Associates in Australia to collaborate on cybersecurity training programs. According to him, this partnership will enhance NIPAM's role as a leader in cybersecurity training. The agreement will further enable exchange programmes between NIPAM and the University of Melbourne's Cyber Security Centre of Excellence, implement train-the-trainer initiatives to boost staff capabilities, and create attachment and secondment opportunities for personnel from both NIPAM and the Global Cybersecurity Centre.