As we close the chapter on 2025, Namibia stands at a remarkable inflection point.
Our nation is no longer merely a spectator in the global economy, we are becoming a player.
The Orange Basin discoveries have positioned us as a future oil and gas powerhouse.
Digital transformation initiatives are reshaping how government and businesses operate. Yet with these opportunities comes a responsibility we cannot afford to overlook: managing the risks that emerge when we open our doors to the world.
Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) may sound like corporate jargon, but its implications for Namibia are profoundly practical.
Every contract we sign with an international oil services company, every cloud platform we adopt, every software vendor we onboard, each represents a relationship that can either strengthen or undermine our national interests.
REALITIES AND RISKS
Consider the reality of our emerging petroleum sector.
International oil companies bring technical expertise, capital, and operational capacity that Namibia currently lacks.
But they also bring complex supply chains spanning dozens of countries, each link potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks, regulatory failures, or geopolitical disruption.
When a critical supplier in one part of the world experiences a breach, the ripple effects can reach Windhoek within hours.
The geopolitical dimension cannot be ignored. Global tensions increasingly manifest through economic and technological means.
Sanctions regimes shift. Data sovereignty concerns mount.
Technology supply chains become instruments of statecraft. Namibian organisations that fail to understand where their vendors operate, who owns them, and what regulations govern them risk finding themselves inadvertently caught in crossfires not of their making.
Digital transformation amplifies these dynamics. As our financial institutions, telecommunications providers, and government agencies migrate to cloud platforms and integrate artificial intelligence tools, they inherit dependencies on technology providers headquartered in jurisdictions with different legal frameworks and strategic interests.
The convenience of modern technology comes bundled with questions we must learn to ask: Where is our data processed? Who can access it? What happens if this vendor fails?
WHAT TO DO?
So what should Namibian organisations do in 2026?
First, embrace visibility. You cannot manage what you cannot see.
Map your vendor relationships, not just the obvious ones, but the vendors of your vendors. Understand your supply chain’s geography.
Second, build capability.
TPRM is not merely a compliance exercise to be outsourced entirely. Namibian professionals must develop expertise in vendor assessment, contract negotiation, and ongoing monitoring.
Our universities and professional bodies should prioritise these skills.
Third, collaborate. Our market is small, but this can be an advantage.
Industry associations, regulators, and government agencies should share threat intelligence and best practices.
A risk identified by one organisation benefits all.
Fourth, demand accountability. Include robust security and compliance requirements in contracts.
Exercise your right to audit. Walk away from vendors who cannot demonstrate adequate controls.
As I reflect on this year’s conversations about technology, governance, and national development, I am filled with optimism.
Namibia has navigated complex transitions before.
We possess something invaluable: a generation of professionals who understand both global standards and local context.
The opportunities ahead are extraordinary. Let us seize them wisely, eyes open, relationships managed, and risks understood.
That is how we build a prosperous Namibia that endures.
- Job Angula is a technology risk professional and digital transformation advocate; info@angulaconsulting.com
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