Katrina Lago Lyetu Kagadhinwa (Namibia)

Katrina Lago Lyetu Kagadhinwa

(Chief Information Officer, NamWater Ltd)

Namibia

In one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where every drop must be accounted for, Katrina Kagadhinwa has made technology the guardian of water. As Chief Information Officer of the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) — the national utility supplying bulk water to Namibia's industries, municipalities, and rural water supply systems — she leads the digital backbone on which the country's water security increasingly depends.

Katrina's career bridges two worlds that rarely meet: information technology and water operations. With a Master's degree in Informatics from the Namibia University of Science and Technology and nearly two decades of experience spanning NamWater and Telecom Namibia, she brings deep expertise in business systems analysis, IT and business strategy alignment, and data-driven decision-making to the water sector.

At NamWater, she leads the utility's digital transformation, IT governance, and systems strategy. According to "100 African Women Leading Africa's Water & Sanitation Future" (AfWASA & RWSN, 2026), her work connects technology with core water operations to advance smart water management, data-driven decision-making, and service resilience — integrating innovation, operational efficiency, and technology-enabled resilience so that NamWater can adapt to emerging challenges and deliver sustainable water services across Namibia. As the compendium records her conviction: "Digital infrastructure is central to modern, reliable, and inclusive water services."

Her significance extends beyond one utility. In a sector where women remain underrepresented in both engineering and technology leadership, Katrina exemplifies a new archetype: the woman leading water from the server room and the strategy table alike — proving that Africa's water future will be secured not only through pipes and pumps, but through the digital systems that make them intelligent, efficient, and equitable.

She is featured in "100 African Women Leading Africa's Water & Sanitation Future" (AfWASA & RWSN, 2026), the inaugural continental compendium of women shaping the sector — recognised among the leaders demonstrating how ICT can transform utility performance and enhance equitable access to water in the 21st century.

Sources: NamWater Ltd; Katrina Kagadhinwa (LinkedIn); 100 African Women Leading Africa's Water & Sanitation Future (AfWASA & RWSN, 2026)