Telecom Namibia Chief Executive Officer Stanley Shanapinda has been appointed Executive Secretary of the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), a move that will see him leave the telecommunications operator to take up one of the region’s most senior ICT leadership positions.
CRASA announced that Shanapinda will assume office on 1 July 2026 following his appointment by the association’s Special General Meeting on 27 May after a competitive recruitment process.
The appointment places a Namibian technology executive at the helm of the regional body responsible for coordinating and harmonising telecommunications, ICT and postal regulation across Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states.
Shanapinda joined Telecom Namibia as Chief Executive Officer in January 2021 and has overseen the company’s digital transformation, network modernisation and infrastructure expansion efforts.
Before joining Telecom Namibia, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), where he played a leading role in advancing Namibia’s regulatory framework and regional ICT harmonisation initiatives.
According to CRASA, Shanapinda brings more than 22 years of experience in telecommunications, ICT regulation, digital transformation, policy development and corporate governance.
He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of New South Wales in Australia, a Master’s degree in ICT Policy and Regulation from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, and law qualifications from the University of Namibia.
The regional organisation said his appointment comes at a critical time as countries across Southern Africa accelerate broadband expansion, digital transformation and regulatory reforms to support growing demand for connectivity and digital services.
Based at the CRASA Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, Shanapinda will oversee regional programmes aimed at strengthening regulatory cooperation, expanding digital inclusion and supporting ICT sector development across the SADC region.
