WINDHOEK, Sept. 28 — Namibia’s Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) has extended its fifth-generation (5G) mobile network to five additional urban centers while initiating the second phase of its national infrastructure rollout.
Following the introduction of 5G technology in 2025, the telecommunications operator on Monday confirmed that it has now connected 5G to the towns of Grootfontein, Mariental, Okahandja, Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb.
Under the second phase of deployment, MTC is constructing 19 new network sites across nine regions to increase overall capacity and address rising data traffic demands. “While expanding our 5G footprint is an important part of that journey, we are equally focused on strengthening our existing network, expanding coverage and modernizing our infrastructure,” MTC General Manager for Networks Ludwig Heinrich Tjitandi said.
The latest rollout builds on MTC’s 5G journey, which began with Namibia’s first public 5G trial in 2024, conducted in partnership with China’s Huawei and achieving speeds of approximately 1.4 Gbps. This was followed by the commercial rollout in 2025, with the first phase comprising 40 sites across the country.
MTC has been awarded 32.3 million Namibian dollars (about 1.96 million U.S. dollars) as part of Phase 2 of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia’s Universal Service Fund program. This funding will be used to deploy nine network solutions, including the installation of 10 towers, to extend connectivity to underserved areas.
According to Namibian Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus, Namibia’s mobile network coverage reaches virtually the entire population, while 4G coverage stands at approximately 89 percent.
Mobile broadband penetration is approximately 61 percent, while available figures indicate that around 62 percent of individuals use the internet. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
