The Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi made a surprise visit to the Roads Authority's Natis, Windhoek. The Roads Authority ’...
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| The Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi made a surprise visit to the Roads Authority's Natis, Windhoek. |
Long Lines and Service Delays
As Namibia advances its digital transformation agenda, Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents an exceptional opportunity to modernize and optimize NATIS operations. Currently, NATIS centers across Namibia in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Oshakati, and Rundu experience overwhelming daily foot traffic. Citizens often spend hours waiting for vehicle registration, licensing, and other related services. These inefficiencies not only frustrate the public but also place immense strain on staff members, leading to fatigue, errors, procrastination, and a drop in service quality delivered.
While the Roads Authority has introduced an online portal (https://online.ra.org.na) to facilitate certain processes, uptake efforts on the portal remain low, and thus some Namibian experts in AI, Machine Learning suggested that the system could benefit from smarter automation and better user management.
The Solution:
An AI-driven scheduling platform could automatically manage appointment bookings, distribute customer visits evenly throughout the day, and reduce peak congestion. Predictive analytics would allow the system to anticipate busy periods and adjust staffing or available slots accordingly.
AI chatbots and virtual assistants could be integrated into both the NATIS website and the mobile applications of users (applicants). These systems can handle frequently asked questions about licensing, registration requirements, document submissions, automatic time management, and appointment bookings, dramatically reducing the burden on call centers, staff, and minimizing the walk-in inquiries, which also contribute the road congestion.
AI can speed up and automate the verification process of submitted documents. Instead of manually reviewing every form, AI software can cross-validate identification, insurance, and vehicle information against databases in seconds, speeding up processing times while minimizing human error.
AI-based queue management can optimize customer flow in real-time. For walk-in customers, a smart queue system could assign tickets, send SMS notifications for turn reminders, and even reassign idle windows to higher-demand services, ensuring maximum operational efficiency.
Currently, some licensing services are partially managed but not entirely submitted online. AI can extend this by enabling a fully automated online registration and renewal process, using biometric, QR code, NFC verification (facial recognition or fingerprint scanning), document uploads, and AI is best suited for fraud detection to ensure secure transactions without the need to visit a physical center.
AI analytics can predict when systems are likely to experience surges (e.g., month-ends, pre-holiday rushes) and help the Roads Authority deploy more manpower resources accordingly. This ensures that service levels remain high even during peak times.
The move toward online registration through https://online.ra.org.na is a critical first step. However, to achieve lasting improvements, the Roads Authority should integrate AI technologies that support not only digital access but also smart, responsive service delivery.
Namibia has the potential to lead Southern Africa in public service innovation by embracing AI solutions. With strategic investment, sound leadership, and the right partnerships with AI providers such as IBM Watson AI, Google Gemine AI, Oracle AI, Microsoft (Azure Cloud + AI), and Amazon, the NATIS system can evolve into a model of efficiency and citizen-centered service. Namibia could benefit even more by localizing AI infrastructure services within the country and tapping into homegrown talent.