Investment

Connectivity improvements on the way for Namibia, Botswana and Lesotho

Connectivity improvements on the way for Namibia, Botswana and Lesotho

Three Southern African nations – Namibia, Botswana and Lesotho – have been in the news after plans to improve local and regional connectivity were announced.

Earlier this week, Namibia's largest mobile operator, MTC, and state-owned Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) signed an agreement to enhance cross-border connectivity and collaboration between the two nations.

Through the memorandum of understanding (MoU), the two parties will establish a structured framework for cross-border fibre interconnection, capacity exchange, and IP transit collaboration between Namibia and Botswana.

The Buitepos-Ngoma corridor, a vital transport and communication route, stands at the heart of this initiative. Buitepos and Ngoma are both border settlements in Namibia.

The corridor is described by MTC Managing Director, Licky Erastus, as “not a mere physical interconnect point. It is a route key to our international expansion strategy – providing an operational entry point into the Botswana wholesale ecosystem while reinforcing Namibia’s position as a transit and digital gateway market.”

Meanwhile, according to ITWeb Africa, Lesotho's government has committed US$24.07 million to its Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology, and Innovation to advance national connectivity, modernise public digital systems and enhance service delivery through innovative solutions. 

The investment, announced following this week's National Budget and Development Plan meeting in Maseru, is described as part of the state's strategy to accelerate digital transformation, strengthen national digital infrastructure, and expand access to information and communication technologies (ICT) across Lesotho.

A significant portion of the funding will be directed toward upgrading ICT infrastructure within public institutions, improving cybersecurity resilience, and expanding affordable public internet access points, particularly for youth.



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