Capricorn Puts N$75,000 into Namibia’s Cybersecurity Talent Pipeline

The private sector has decided to get on board and assists Namibia in develop its cybersecurity skills, with the Capricorn Group contributing N$75,000 towards practical training for students as businesses increasingly depend on secure digital services.

The contribution supported the 12th Namibia National Cyber Security Competition, organised with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), where students tested their ability to defend computer systems against simulated cyberattacks.

Responding to questions by Business Pulse 360, Bank Windhoek said the sponsorship aimed to strengthen practical cybersecurity skills and connect academic learning with industry expectations. Capricorn Group also participated in the competition’s judging process, according to the group’s media release.

“As businesses and customers increasingly rely on digital services, local cybersecurity capability can help organisations manage digital risks and support confidence in those services,” Bank Windhoek said.

Cybersecurity skills are relevant to businesses that depend on digital platforms to serve customers, process transactions and manage information. Developing local expertise can help organisations respond to digital threats, while practical training can expose students to challenges they may encounter in the workplace.

The competition placed students in a simulated organisational computing environment, where they defended systems while a red team attempted to compromise them. The format tested participants’ ability to identify threats and respond under pressure, providing experience beyond classroom learning, Capricorn Group said.

Teams from NUST, the University of Namibia, the International University of Management and the International Training College Lingua participated. NUST Team A took first place, followed by ITCL Team A in second place and NUST Team B in third place.

Marlize Horn, Capricorn Group’s Group Chief Brand and Corporate Affairs Officer, said the competition gives students opportunities to apply their knowledge to realistic challenges.

“We are pleased to support their development and the cyber talent Namibia will need as its digital economy grows,” Horn said.

However, the longer-term economic impact of the sponsorship remains unmeasured. Bank Windhoek said it does not currently track participants’ employment outcomes through the initiative and therefore does not claim that the sponsorship has created jobs or generated a quantified economic return.

The bank said assessing those outcomes would require follow-up with participants and competition organisers.

The sponsorship highlights private-sector support for developing Namibia’s technical skills base, but its longer-term contribution to employment and the country’s cybersecurity workforce will depend on how effectively the skills gained translate into workplace capabilities.