Namibia has launched a new cybersecurity plan amid a surge in fraud, scams, and system vulnerabilities

Namibia recorded more than a million cyber threats and a similar number of system vulnerabilities in the first half of 2025, Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus said in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The incidents, detected by the Namibian Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (NAMSIRT), included SIM card fraud, impersonation, and online scams.

She added that the ministry is rolling out a National Cybersecurity Strategy and Awareness Raising Plan in partnership with SALT Essential IT, Lifeline Childline Namibia, and UNICEF Namibia. The campaign includes free in-person and virtual training to promote safer online practices.

According to a local news outlet citing a report from the NAMSIRT, from January 1 to June 30, the team detected 1.1 million cyber threats and nearly 1 million system vulnerabilities.

Namibia experienced over 1.1 million cyberattacks in 2024, according to national reports. As quoted by The Namibian, certified fraud examiner Melanie Meiring notes that these cyber events affected businesses, government entities, and citizens, with Telecom Namibia "suffering a major breach that exposed over 626 gigabytes of sensitive data."

The figures reflect a broader continental trend. According to Interpol's report in May, more than two-thirds of African countries view cybercrime as a medium or high-level threat, accounting for over 30% of all reported offenses in Eastern and Western Africa.

In August, Interpol led a major cybercrime operation called Serengeti 2.0 in partnership with law enforcement agencies from 18 African countries. The operation resulted in the arrest of more than 1,000 suspects and the recovery of nearly $100 million in illicit funds. More than 88,000 victims were identified, with cases involving inheritance scams, ransomware attacks, and business email compromise schemes. 

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Last August, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the creation of a cybersecurity center in Senegal, noting that Moscow has extensive experience in the field and is working at the UN level to develop international cybersecurity norms and principles.