One step closer to digitisation

Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) recently opened its new innovation centre in Windhoek, which it described as a ‘digital cloud computing service’ that can be used for free by innovators.
Evany van Wyk
Ester Kamati

Opened on 21 November, the centre is furnished with the latest digital equipment to ensure that innovators’ ideas come to life. According to Erasmus Nekundi, the company’s public relations officer, the aim is to encourage innovation and the development of great ideas through the use of this new hub.

For the next six months, the facility will be freely available to enterprises and institutions, both public and private. After that, the innovation centre, located inside Windhoek’s Maerua Mall, will be open to the public.

Since the centre opened its doors last week, a number of institutions have made use of its fibre connectivity and cloud computing.

Nekundi said people often become discouraged because they do not have the necessary support and facilities to “bring their ideas to life”.

He added that this new environment is ideal for such innovations that people may have been unmotivated to follow through with. “It is set up for you and it is an enabler,” he said.

At the official opening, MTC’s acting CEO, Licky Erastus, shared his excitement about presenting “a product of MTC’s forward-thinking strategic vision”.

According to him, the company draws joy from being able to “stay abreast of technology to bring new concepts and services to Namibia”.

The centre, which is the first of its kind in the country, will be used to showcase new business and consumer solutions that will undoubtedly boost the technological business space, Erastus said.

“It will provide tools for visitors to experiment or iterate on their ideas and see how they can apply these technologies in their businesses.”

Tim Ekandjo, MTC’s chief human capital and corporate affairs officer, said individuals need to embrace digitisation.

“We have to grease the wheel that invents and reinvents new ways of doing things,” he said.

Everything from comprehensive fibre internet and digital cloud computing services will be available at the innovation centre. It will also acting as a platform for MTC partners and customers to test their services in a live environment.