Windhoek: Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has called for deliberate investment in Namibia's creative and digital industries, emphasizing that local content creation must be treated as a strategic pillar for job creation and economic growth. Ngurare made the call during an engagement with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology on Wednesday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Ngurare stressed the importance of supporting Namibia's creatives in the same way global film industries have been nurtured. He highlighted that well-known global film industries like Hollywood, Bollywood, and Nollywood have flourished due to substantial financial support. "We must also be unapologetic and ensure that we support these people," he stated.

Ngurare further emphasized that Namibia's development goals, including employment creation, cannot be achieved without empowering local innovators and content producers. He called for collaboration between government, telecommunications companies, universities, and private sector players to develop sustainable digital platforms.

Among the presenters at the event was Joe Haikali, founder of Tala Namibia, who shared his vision for a nationwide streaming platform dedicated to Namibian films. Haikali's initiative is based on 15 years of archiving locally produced films, which showed strong demand for home-grown content. He noted the need for continuous content and warned that sustainable production requires consistent funding and industry collaboration.

Also presenting were Ibia TV founder Panduleni Victor and Margareth Gustavo from the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board under the Brand Namibia initiative. They echoed the need to position Namibia's creative output as part of its economic offering. Ngurare concluded by saying that supporting local creatives is not merely a cultural policy but an economic strategy.