Understanding Cybersecurity
MEDIA RELEASE
Issued: 1 October 2026
Insight from Rushabdha Nepolo, Acting Head of Information Technology, Letshego Holdings Namibia.
Think about how naturally most people protect their homes, locking the door, closing the windows, keeping an eye on who comes and goes. A digital life deserves that same instinct. Every time a banking app is opened to check a balance or move money, something significant is being placed in the bank's hands, personal financial information, and trust. Cybersecurity is simply the sum of the measures anyone puts in place to protect that digital life, such as a phone, a bank account, social media accounts, photographs, and personal information. Something as ordinary as locking a phone with a PIN or adding an authentication layer to your accounts is a cybersecurity measure. It is not sophisticated, but it is often the first and most effective line of defence.
According to Rushabdha Nepolo, Acting Head of Information Technology at Letshego Holdings Namibia, good cybersecurity rests on two things working together: people and technology, supported by the right processes. Technology provides the tools to prevent, detect and respond to threats. In a company context, processes provide the policies and controls that keep those tools working as intended. But neither can succeed without people, staying alert and making sound decisions online, together, these elements form a stronger defence.
Cybercrime does not distinguish by profession or age, which makes it hard to guard against. It reaches a teacher, a nurse, a student, a pensioner, a taxi driver, a farmer, and a small-business owner in equally direct ways. For a farmer, it can mean a criminal quietly changing a supplier's payment details. For a small-business owner, it can mean a hijacked WhatsApp Business account used to defraud loyal customers. For a parent, it can mean someone impersonating their child to ask for money. For a pensioner, it can mean a caller posing as their bank to request a one-time password. These are not abstract risks, local newspapers reported N$73.9 million in fraud losses in 2025, including about N$52.9 million linked to electronic funds transfer (EFT) fraud.
The good news is that staying safe does not require technical expertise. The same phone customers use for banking can also expose them to threats. That’s why simple, consistent habits matter, so treat links with caution, use stronger passwords, safeguard passwords with password management tools, and keep devices updated with an antivirus application. These steps significantly reduce risk.
Letshego continues to invest in the people, processes and technology that keep its digital services secure, because financial inclusion only works when it is safe. As Nepolo puts it, criminals do not always need to break into a device. Often, they only need to convince someone to open the door. Do not make it easy for them. Keeping information safe online is critical for both companies and individuals, so build one good habit at a time.
Report anything suspicious to any of these channels:
Toll-free for Telecom fixed lines: 080 000 3313
Toll-free for MTC users: 081 918 37
Call back number: +27 11 929 3334
Email: letshego@tip-offs.com
Website: www.tip-offs.com
For media inquiries, please contact:
Mrs. Ongame Mutorwa
Communications Manager
Tel: (+264) 61 2023500
E-mail: OngameM@Letshego.com
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