Minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus says N$1 million has been made available in sponsorships for an upcoming ICT summit.
In-kind sponsorships amounted to N$456 000.
She said this on Wednesday at the launch of the 8th National ICT Summit set to take place from 9 to 11 September under the theme ‘Building Resilience to Adapt or Die in the Era of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence’.
Theofelus urged all ICT industry players to take part and seize opportunities.
“Let us work together to build a resilient digital, social and economic ecosystem,” Theofelus said.
According to the minister, the theme is not only timely but also critical as the ministry navigates the fast-paced evolution of technology.
She said in today’s world, digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) are not merely trends but are the driving forces reshaping societies, economies and day-to-day lives.
“The imperative to ‘adapt or die’ encapsulates the urgency with which we must embrace these technological advancements to ensure our nation’s competitiveness, resilience and prosperity,” she said.
Theofelus said digital transformation presents unprecedented opportunities for innovation, economic growth and societal advancement, and enables the industry to reimagine business models, enhance public services and create new employment opportunities. However, this transformation also brings challenges.
Speaking at the same event, deputy minister Modestus Amutse said the theme will provide an opportunity to dive deeper into the transformation brought about by AI.
“This theme will allow us to learn and embrace the transformation,” he said.
He said industry partners must work together to establish how they will ensure that Namibia is one of the leading countries in digital evolution in the whole of Africa and that it is not left behind in AI advancements.
Amutse said the summit creates room for robust discussion on innovations and trials throughout the industry, bringing together industry players to exhibit and deliberate on the latest trends.
“This will create a platform for humans to coexist with AI while propagating social and industrial progression,” he said.
The ministry received pledges for the summit from various organisations and stakeholders, including Schoemans Group, Telecom Namibia, FNB Namibia, Green Enterprise Solutions, Datacom Technologies and Salt Essential IT.
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