Radio still top choice for most Namibians - CRAN

A new report released last week by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) says radio remains the leading source for information in the country.In its 2023 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector Market Report released, CRAN CEO Emilia Nghikembua also emphasised the need for continued improvements in affordability and connectivity.“The broadcasting sector remains small, despite an increase in national advertising revenues. Radio continues to dominate as the key information source, especially in rural areas, while affordability and connectivity improvements remain priorities for the telecommunications sector,” Nghikembua said. The report revealed radio’s enduring role as Namibia’s most widely used medium.Nationally, 45% of the population rely on radio as their primary source of information, compared to 36% who turn to television for news and entertainment. In urban areas, television leads with a 55% preference, while radio maintains a strong presence at 49%. In rural regions, radio dominates as the primary information source, with 41% reliance compared to just 16% for television.Growth amid challengesCRAN also highlighted challenges within the broadcasting industry, particularly for the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), which experienced a 23% revenue decline over the past four years. Nghikembua attributed this to downturns in TV licence fees, advertising income and other revenue streams.In contrast, MultiChoice Namibia, operating on a subscription-based model, recorded a 32% increase in profitability despite facing overall revenue challenges.In the telecommunications sector, the report reflects a positive outlook, underpinned by a significant increase in asset values driven by sustained investments.This growth signals strong confidence in the sector’s future despite stagnant revenues and profits. Between 2018 and 2023, the sector recorded a cumulative revenue growth of 17%.Nghikembua shed light on the industry’s structure, emphasising the state’s predominant role.“The state owns the licensees responsible for 82% of telecommunication assets and 80% of the sector's revenue," the report states.However, the private sector’s share of revenue has grown from 16% in 2018 to 20% in 2023."Encouragingly, 37% of additions to property, plant and equipment (PPE) were undertaken by the private sector in 2023 compared to 63% by the public sector," Nghikembua said.Connectivity shiftThe report also highlights Namibia’s broadband transformation, with a steady adoption of high-speed fibre-based solutions. Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) subscriptions have more than doubled since 2018, accounting for 27% of fixed broadband subscribers by the end of 2023. While the total number of active SIM cards declined by 6% over the past year, mobile broadband subscriptions increased from 61% in 2018 to 67% in 2023. This shift indicates a growing reliance on mobile internet services despite a decline in overall SIM card activity.Data services have emerged as the primary revenue driver for the telecommunications sector, reflecting changing consumer preferences. Mobile voice and SMS usage have declined significantly, while the proportion of mobile service revenue generated from data surged from 46% in 2018 to 70% in 2023.Nghikembua underscored the trend, noting that “data revenue has grown by 53% over the past five years, driven by increased consumption of mobile and fibre data. Mobile data revenue now accounts for 76% of total data revenues, underscoring the growing dependence on mobile connectivity.”Despite the decline in voice and SMS services, outgoing mobile minutes increased by 60%, highlighting sustained mobile service usage. However, traditional SMS and landline services continued their downward trajectory due to the rising popularity of over-the-top (OTT) messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.

Radio still top choice for most Namibians - CRAN

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-31

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Radio still top choice for most Namibians - CRAN

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-31

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