We are in a period where every country must determine its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, which goes beyond the regulation and governance rush. AI Strategies demonstrate how countries intend to utilise and embed AI in their local processes, how they will enable the creation or fine-tuning of models, increase the local skilled digital workforce to help realise the promises of AI and ensure that all this is done without compromising human rights, expanding the digital divide, or causing irreparable harm. Namibia’s recent National AI Strategy launch shows how a developing nation can harness AI to tackle local challenges while driving sustainable growth. Though yet to be published publicly, the strategy appears to be a bold step toward not just keeping pace with global trends but positioning itself as an emerging thought leader in AI among developing nations.¹ It prioritises sectoral transformation through a decentralised governance structure and intends to build an enabling ecosystem through infrastructure and skills for its citizens.²

The Lead-Up to the AI Strategy

Namibia didn’t arrive at this point overnight, having been laying the groundwork with various national initiatives. For instance, the 2022 Final Report of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Task Force (4IRTF) assesses the country’s readiness for emerging technologies, including AI; it identifies key gaps—limited digital infrastructure, a shortage of skilled workers, and the need for clear policies.³ It also highlights opportunities available to Namibia, including a stable political environment, a growing ICT sector, and a national vision (Vision 2030) prioritising innovation for socioeconomic progress.⁴ Identifying the main driving factors of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Report outlines infrastructure, skills, the innovation ecosystem, and governance as key areas of concern for the country. Essentially, this set a roadmap that would be crucial in developing the country’s AI Strategy.

Another key event in Namibia’s journey to the AI Strategy is the Windhoek Statement on Artificial Intelligence in Southern Africa. This Statement resulted from the UNESCO Southern Africa Subregional Forum on Artificial Intelligence, where relevant ministers in charge of communication, digital technologies and higher education gathered to visualise a way forward regarding harnessing AI.⁵ The Windhoek Statement emphasises the creation of a data governance and AI ecosystem that reflects local values and sociotechnical realities in developing ethical and inclusive AI.⁶

Key Features of Namibia’s AI Strategy

So, what can we gather from discussions about the strategy?

Multi-Sectoral Transformation

Namibia is focusing on four key sectors in its AI Strategy: healthcare, education, agriculture, and mining.⁷ In healthcare, AI would be applied to boost diagnostics and personalise treatments, such as clinics using predictive tools to catch diseases early.⁸ In education, personalised learning platforms would tailor lessons to individual students, allowing teachers to focus on high-impact tasks.⁹ Agriculture, a lifeline for many Namibians, would benefit from precision farming and weather prediction tools to increase yields and sustainability.¹⁰ And in mining, which is a key driver of Namibia’s economy, AI will be used to streamline operations, cut costs, and make things safer.¹¹

Embedding AI in each sector would require an enabling environment for innovation, another key intention of the AI Strategy. The government intends to remove roadblocks by providing better broadband and other infrastructure, increasing training, and creating relevant enabling policies to drive innovation in ethical and inclusive AI.¹²

Decentralised Governance Structure

It is worth noting that the Namibia AI strategy aims to adopt a decentralised governance structure, with the National AI Council at the top, but with sector-specific Technical Working Groups (TWGs) that would localise strategy and monitoring to ensure AI adoption aligns with national objectives.¹³ This feature of the strategy is worth noting since rather than relying on a centralised, hierarchical model dominated by top officials, the strategy intends to employ sector-specific experts who would engage directly with the intricacies of each domain. As such, healthcare experts would address the application of AI in medical institutions, while agricultural stakeholders contribute insights into farming technologies, ensuring a participatory and contextually informed process. This decentralised model would also improve the inclusive implementation of AI solutions at the community level, by engaging communities in identifying and solving the challenges they face.

Balancing National Priorities and Continental Goals

Namibia’s AI Strategy cannot operate in a regulatory vacuum, especially regarding privacy and data protection concerns. The Namibia Data Protection Bill, 2023, if enacted into law, would regulate how Namibians’ personal data is processed in both automated systems and manually.¹⁴ Further, Namibians would have recourse in case of privacy rights violations such as profiling, discriminatory algorithms, or misuse of personal data. In the meantime, the absence of an enacted data protection law raises significant questions about how the country will manage AI’s reliance on large-scale data processing, particularly in sensitive sectors like healthcare, and public-facing sectors like education and government service provision. To address this gap, Namibia should urgently enact its data protection law and align it with the AU Data Policy Framework’s key priorities, including harmonising cross-border and inclusive data governance.

Further, Namibia’s alignment with the AU Continental AI Strategy is an issue worth exploring, though comprehensive analysis remains challenging as the full strategy document has not yet been released publicly. Based on the Windhoek Statement¹⁵ and the 2022 4IR Task Force Report¹⁶ that preceded its development, Namibia’s approach appears to align with AU priorities in sectoral transformation such as education, healthcare and agriculture. While the AU emphasises gender-responsive AI, including benefits for women and girls, it remains to be seen whether Namibia’s strategy incorporates similarly explicit provisions.¹⁷

While other African countries such as Rwanda have centralised AI oversight under tech ministries or innovation agencies,¹⁸ Namibia’s National AI Council and Technical Working Groups (TWGs) stand out for their decentralised, participatory approach. This structure could foster deeper sectoral buy-in but demands robust funding and coordination to avoid silos. Namibia’s bold bet on decentralisation may pay off if the TWGs are empowered to act swiftly and collaboratively. Further, the strategy’s decentralised governance model could hinder AI harms, allowing domains like healthcare to develop interim ethical guidelines while national legislation catches up.

Concluding thoughts

From available discussions, Namibia’s National AI Strategy seems to be intentionally forward-thinking and contextual, aiming to establish Namibia as a regional AI leader. Building on the roadmap established by the 2022 Final Report of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Task Force and the Windhoek Statement on Artificial Intelligence in Southern Africa, the Strategy pays attention to prioritising sectoral transformation in healthcare, education, agriculture, and mining while fostering an enabling environment through infrastructure and skills development. Its decentralised governance structure – led by a National AI Council and supported by sector-specific Technical Working Groups – stands out as a strategic strength, ensuring that AI solutions are locally relevant and aligned with national goals, all while promoting inclusivity and minimising risks like digital exclusion or ethical concerns.

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