WINDHOEK, May 18– Namibia has called for accelerated African-led digital transformation, stronger public sector reforms, and greater economic self-reliance as part of efforts to achieve sustainable development and inclusive growth across the continent.
Speaking Monday at the opening of the African Management Development Institutes’ Network (AMDIN) conference hosted in Windhoek, Namibian Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare said Africa is at a critical stage where rising citizen expectations, climate pressures, technological disruption, and economic uncertainty are reshaping governance demands.’
African governments must strengthen ethical leadership, transparency, and accountability in public institutions, he said, stressing that public office should be treated as a trust for citizens rather than a platform for personal enrichment.
Ngurare highlighted digital transformation and artificial intelligence as central to modernizing governance systems, noting that these tools are now essential rather than optional.
He also cautioned that technology must remain guided by human judgment and African values.
Ngurare called for the development of African-designed digital systems, including artificial intelligence tools informed by indigenous knowledge, cultural contexts, and local development priorities, urging governments to invest in digital infrastructure and ensure inclusion of rural communities, women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
“Artificial intelligence must be informed by indigenous knowledge of our continent,” he said, adding that Africa should build its own technological capacity, including hardware and software systems, to reduce dependency on external platforms.
Ngurare renewed calls for African countries to move beyond exporting raw materials and instead invest in domestic processing and value addition to create jobs and strengthen industrial capacity.
He described Africa’s youthful population as a strategic asset, urging governments to create structured pathways for youth participation in leadership and policymaking.
The AMDIN conference, which runs through Wednesday, brought together senior public servants, policymakers, and development practitioners from across the continent to discuss public sector transformation and governance reform.
