Leading ICT consultant comments on Namibia's evolving business environment

In line with national strategic objectives such as the Vision 2030 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan, Namibia is investing heavily in transforming its economy, not only to further integrate information communications technology, but also to become more service oriented. 

Jan Coetzee is a well-established IT specialist in the Namibian business environment, with nearly two decades of professional experience. Since 2011, Coetzee has been the Managing Director at Windhoek-based ICT specialist consulting firm Headway Consulting. The firm offers a range of services, including ICT risk identification and management, governance implementation and project management, among several others.

The firm is also currently involved in nationwide efforts to increase ICT integration, based on the objectives laid down in national mandates such as Vision 2030 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan. To this end, the firm also leveraged its Information Technology Infrastructure Library certification to conduct a training programme with a number of large firms in Namibia two months ago.

According to Coetzee, ICT integration is only one piece of the puzzle. In his opinion, the Namibian economy is in need of a complete overhaul in its normative structure, wherein most of the old priorities should be traded in for new ones. Innovation is absolutely crucial in this scenario, according to Coetzee.

An innovative culture needs to be developed, a starting point for which would be to focus on developing a domestic talent pool through internships and jobs for the youth at cutting edge international firms that are operational in Namibia. Such efforts would create a knowledge-based economy, which would offer the skills and flexibility to take the country towards its goals.

“Being able to see and act upon potential opportunities and possibilities for change through innovation is the only path to success. This means that the business environment needs to change. It can only survive if Namibia can successfully compete and even flourish in the face of the range of emerging adverse and fluctuating business and economic conditions,” says Coetzee.

He adds, “We need to become service orientated. This does not just mean offering good quality services, but adding value to the economy by selling services – whether we offer ICT services, hosted services or even solutions like call centers for large international corporations. We have English and German speakers, internet is relatively fast and stable and the labour force plentiful. The opportunity is there.”