The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) has raised concerns over deteriorating telecommunications and internet connectivity in Namibia’s rural areas, warning that unreliable services are placing growing pressure on the tourism sector.
In a letter addressed to MTC managing director Licky Erastus, the association said that poor network coverage, recurring outages, and high connectivity costs are disrupting tourism operations, particularly in remote regions where communication systems are essential for reservations, payments, guest services, and emergencies.
HAN said modern tourism increasingly depends on fast and reliable internet access, describing telecommunications as an essential business requirement rather than a luxury.
According to the association, many lodges and camps in remote areas have experienced years of failed incoming and outgoing calls, unstable internet connections and prolonged service interruptions that affect daily operations.
Losing edge
“As it stands now, Namibia is fast losing out on its competitiveness,” HAN said, warning that the tourism business is increasingly being redirected to neighbouring countries offering stronger and more affordable telecommunications services.
The association said some tourism operators have identified affordable and reliable internet access as their “single biggest constraint to growth” for more than 20 years.
HAN noted that many operators currently rely on Telecom Namibia’s Airfibre or WiMAX services at a cost of about N$10 000 per month, despite concerns over reliability and limited capacity.
Due to inadequate service levels, some establishments have reportedly turned to alternative low-Earth orbit satellite systems that are legal in Namibia, often at substantially higher costs.
According to submissions received by HAN, some lodges are paying as much as N$37 000 per month for a 2TB capped package, which is sufficient only for business systems and excludes guest internet usage.
High costs
The association said operators often require double the capacity to adequately serve guests who share travel experiences online, pushing monthly internet costs to around N$70 000, or approximately N$840 000 annually.
HAN compared the situation with neighbouring South Africa, where businesses can reportedly access uncapped 570 Mbps internet services for about R1 200 per month.
The association highlighted the Zambezi Region as one of the worst-affected areas, despite its strategic position within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), shared by Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola.
While network coverage in Katima Mulilo is considered adequate, HAN said rural parts of the region remain severely underserved. Telecom Namibia reportedly has limited coverage outside the town, leaving MTC as the primary provider in many areas.
'Inconsistent'
However, operators claim MTC’s rural service is inconsistent, with towers frequently offline and network performance deteriorating during the rainy season.
HAN also criticised the discontinuation of Telecom Namibia’s VSAT service, which many remote lodges previously relied on for payment processing and essential business operations.
The association said that after the service was discontinued, neither Telecom Namibia nor MTC sufficiently expanded rural infrastructure to meet increasing demand.
HAN further requested an update from MTC regarding a pilot connectivity project introduced in the Zambezi Region last year. According to the association, the trial reportedly delivered promising results before being discontinued ahead of the 2025 tourism high season, despite assurances that a formal business proposal would follow.
Growing frustration
The organisation said frustration within the tourism industry is growing and warned that the problem extends beyond tourism to sectors such as agriculture, mining, education and healthcare in remote areas.
HAN questioned whether there are concrete plans to strengthen Namibia’s telecommunications infrastructure to accommodate growing numbers of users and increasing dependence on digital systems nationwide.
“We hope that you understand the urgency with which we raise this matter,” the association said, expressing hope that stronger investment and infrastructure development would improve rural connectivity and restore confidence in Namibia’s telecommunications sector.
