Electronic signatures issued by accredited service providers are now legally recognised in Namibia after regulations governing their use became operational on 15 June 2026, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has said.
The regulations give qualifying electronic signatures legal recognition and protection under the Electronic Transactions Act and related regulations, allowing them to be used for legally recognised digital transactions.
CRAN Chief Executive Officer Emilia Nghikembua said the recognition only applies where an electronic signature is issued by a service provider accredited by the regulator.
“What this means is that electronic signatures are recognised as legal signatures in Namibia. There is, however, a proviso: the electronic signature must be issued by a service provider that has been accredited by CRAN,” she said.
Nghikembua warned individuals, businesses and institutions to verify the accreditation status of electronic signature providers before using their services.
“If they are not accredited, then that electronic signature does not enjoy the legal recognition and legal protection contained in the regulations and the Electronic Transactions Act,” she said.
She said not every electronic representation of a handwritten signature qualifies as an electronic signature under the framework. Scanning a handwritten signature and inserting it into a Word document, for example, does not automatically constitute a legally recognised electronic signature.
Certain documents also remain excluded from electronic signing. A final will and testament, for example, cannot currently be executed using an electronic signature and must still carry a handwritten signature.
The legal recognition comes as CRAN has launched Namibia’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which is intended to provide the trust and security framework needed to authenticate digital identities and transactions.
Under the Electronic Transactions Act, CRAN serves as Namibia’s Root Certification Authority, giving it responsibility for overseeing the national trust framework supporting electronic signatures and digital certificates.
Speaking at the launch of the National PKI, Nghikembua said the National Root Certification Authority serves as the ultimate trust anchor for certificates issued under Namibia’s framework.
“We generate and protect the national root keys in certified hardware security modules. We sign certificates for accredited Certification Service Providers, as well as sector CAs, and we maintain the National Trust Hierarchy,” she said.
The infrastructure is designed to authenticate digital identities, secure electronic signatures, protect confidential information through encryption and safeguard the integrity of digital transactions.
CRAN said the framework could support the expansion of digital government services, including electronic identification, licensing and permits, payments and procurement.
In the financial sector, potential applications include electronic banking, digital account opening, remote know-your-customer processes and digitally signed transaction records.
The infrastructure could also support electronic prescriptions and stronger patient authentication in the healthcare sector.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to play a central role in the digital identity ecosystem because of its legislative responsibility for issuing electronic identification, while CRAN will oversee the regulatory and trust framework.
CRAN will also accredit certification service providers, conduct audits and monitor compliance with applicable technical and security standards.
Nghikembua said accreditation requirements are deliberately stringent because of the sensitive nature of the infrastructure, with providers subject to continued auditing after receiving approval.
“Together with licensing is auditing and assurance to ensure that, even if you have passed the test and obtained a licence, you continue to comply with the requirements you are supposed to follow once you begin implementation,” she said.
CRAN said Namibia’s Root Certification Authority is now technically operational following completion of the key-signing process, paving the way for the accreditation of certification service providers.
