University of Namibia
The University of Namibia (UNAM) is Namibia's national public university, established in 1992, operating 12 campuses nationwide and serving approximately 30,929 students through 4 faculties and 17 schools, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and distance education programmes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersWindhoek, Namibia
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What University of Namibia does
The University of Namibia (UNAM), established in 1992 by the Government of Namibia, is the country's national public university and its largest higher-education institution by enrollment. It operates 12 campuses distributed across Namibia — including the Main Campus, Hage Geingob, Khomasdal, JEDS, Hifikepunye Pohamba, Neudamm, Ogongo, Oshakati, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, Sam Nujoma, and Southern campuses — serving approximately 30,929 students through 17 schools organized into 4 faculties (Agriculture, Engineering & Natural Sciences; Commerce, Management & Law; Education & Human Sciences; Health Sciences & Veterinary Medicine). Academic offerings span certificates, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes, supplemented by distance education through a Moodle-based LMS (with 6,000+ online students) and alternative-entry pathways including Mature Age Entry (25+) and Recognition of Prior Learning.
The university's revenue model combines recurring tuition and academic fees (the primary stream, with fee prospectuses published annually for 2024-2026), government funding as a state entity, conference and event hosting (EDUCON, UNAM IEC, FCML, CILT conferences with international delegate fees of USD 100-250), short courses and continuing education via the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT), and corporate-sponsored programmes. Digital infrastructure comprises the iEnabler online application portal, the My UNAM student/staff portal, a digital library and repository, and project-based systems including the Chancellor's Innovation Fund incubation platform (up to N$100,000 per project) and the UNAM Cares CSR platform. UNAM is governed by a Council under Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kenneth Matengu, employs 2,336 staff (1,640 academic), and runs 265 active research projects in collaboration with international partners including Cardiff University, Stellenbosch, H.E.S.S., and the EU.
University of Namibia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of Namibia
- Legal name
- University of Namibia
- Website
- https://unam.edu.na
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- The University of Namibia (UNAM) is Namibia's national public university, established in 1992, operating 12 campuses nationwide and serving approximately 30,929 students through 4 faculties and 17 schools, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and distance education programmes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of Namibia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Flagship Public Research Universities (R1/R2) (EDAHAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)
Keywords
Where University of Namibia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Windhoek
- HQ country
- Namibia
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices12 records
Markets served
University of Namibia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition and Academic Fees: Students pay annual tuition fees for undergraduate, postgraduate, and distance education programmes. Fee structures vary by programme level and delivery mode, with specific fee prospectuses published annually.
- Conference and Event Hosting: UNAM generates revenue through conference registration fees and sponsorships, hosting events such as EDUCON, FCML International Conference, CILT Conference, and the UNAM IEC Engineering Conference.
- Short Courses and Professional Development: The university offers short courses and continuing education programmes through CILT (Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching), generating revenue from adult learners and professionals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Local Conference Participants |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | UNAM IEC-2026 Engineering Conference Fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
University of Namibia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The University of Namibia is a public higher education institution that delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degree programmes across 17 schools within 4 faculties, spanning Agriculture, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Commerce, Management, Law, Education, Human Sciences, Health Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. It serves 30,929 students through 12 campuses nationwide, supplemented by distance and part-time education delivered via a Moodle-based eLearning platform, with admission pathways including standard Grade 12 entry, Mature Age Entry (MAE), and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The university also runs 265 active research projects, hosts academic conferences, and operates the Chancellor's Innovation Fund incubation programme for technology-based ventures.
Product overview
The University of Namibia operates as a multi-campus higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services across 12 campuses, comprising 4 faculties and 17 schools. The university's digital infrastructure includes the iEnabler Online Application System for student admissions, the Moodle-based e-Learning platform for distance education, the My UNAM student/staff portal, and a Digital Library & Repository. Specialized programs include the Chancellor's Innovation Fund (an incubation programme supporting technology commercialization), UNAM Cares (corporate social responsibility initiatives), and project-based offerings such as the Health Information System and Namibia EduQuiz for digital health and education support. The product portfolio is structured around core educational delivery platforms supplemented by innovation, research, and community engagement programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UNAM Cares: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) community engagement project under the office of the Vice Chancellor.
- Namibia Business School
- UNAM Press
- UNAM Foundation
- Chancellor's Innovation Fund
Quantifiable outcome
- 30,929 students enrolled across 12 campuses
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use University of Namibia
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
University of Namibia technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
University of Namibia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Telecom NamibiacorePartnership under the Chancellor's Innovation Fund (CIF) to support UNAM staff and students with innovative ideas in commercializing technology-based innovations. Telecom Namibia provides sponsorship enabling coaching, mentoring, incubation services, and funding up to N$100,000 per project for a 12-month incubation period.
- University of TurkucorePartner in establishing the UNAM incubation hub at the Main Campus, providing skill transfer and facilitating the 12-month incubation period through the Chancellor's Innovation Fund. Supports innovation and entrepreneurship development at UNAM.
- UNDP AcceleratorminorSupporting partner in the Chancellor's Innovation Fund, providing accelerator resources and international development network access for UNAM innovators.
- Cardiff University (Phoenix Project)coreCollaborative research partnership with The Phoenix Project of Cardiff University for Hepatitis E research and public health interventions. Includes collaboration on UNAM Cares community engagement projects and COVID-19 assistance programmes.
- International Organization for MigrationcoreInternational organization supporting UNAM Cares Migrant Assistance and Repatriation project in collaboration with European Union funding.
- Stellenbosch University (Faculty of Military Science)coreCo-host of the 3rd International Conference 2026 on Energy Frontiers and Security with UNAM's School of Military Science, demonstrating academic collaboration in defence and security studies.
- Stellenbosch UniversitycoreAnnual co-host of Military Science International Conference, joint academic collaboration between UNAM School of Military Science and SU Faculty of Military Science.
- H.E.S.S. (High Energy Stereoscopic System)coreInternational astrophysics research collaboration with UNAM's Department of Physics, Chemistry and Material Science. UNAM hosts H.E.S.S. telescopes in Namibia and participates in the symposium celebrating 20 years of H.E.S.S. operations.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
University of Namibia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- University of Botswana: SADC public research university with similar scale (~20,000 students) and faculty structure including engineering, business and health sciences. Direct comparator for cross-border SADC student mobility and competition.
- Makerere University: East Africa's flagship public research university with a comparable multi-campus, multi-faculty structure. Demonstrates the scale-up path for African national universities and competes indirectly for international student and research funding within Africa.
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology: South African university of technology with strong applied sciences, engineering and health sciences focus — closely paralleling UNAM's Hage Geingob and JEDS campuses' applied/technical orientation.
Broad incumbents
- Stellenbosch University: Major South African research university and existing UNAM academic partner (co-hosts Military Science conference). Competes for Namibian postgraduate students and faculty and shares a multi-faculty research structure with UNAM.
- University of Cape Town (UCT): Africa's top-ranked research university and the leading regional competitor for high-achieving Namibian students and faculty. Comparable as a comprehensive public research university operating at a much larger scale within SADC.
- University of Pretoria: Large South African comprehensive research university with veterinary, engineering and medical schools directly comparable to UNAM's faculty mix. Draws regional talent and competes for the same SADC postgraduate pool.
- University of the Witwatersrand (Wits): Leading South African research university with strong medicine, engineering and science faculties paralleling UNAM's offerings. Competes for top SADC talent and research funding.
- University of the Western Cape: South African public university with comparable focus on health sciences, education and community engagement programmes — including the latter paralleling UNAM Cares' mission. Targets similar SADC student demographic.
Direct peers
- Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST): Namibia's other public university, directly competing for domestic students, faculty and government funding across STEM, business and applied sciences. Most direct comparator given shared Namibian context and overlapping programme portfolios.
- International University of Management (IUM): Namibia's largest private higher-education institution, directly competing for Namibian and SADC students in business, IT and management programmes. Most relevant private-sector peer within UNAM's home market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
University of Namibia social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of Namibia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of Namibia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
University of Namibia subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
University of Namibia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University of Namibia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of Namibia
What does University of Namibia do?
The University of Namibia is a public higher education institution that delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degree programmes across 17 schools within 4 faculties, spanning Agriculture, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Commerce, Management, Law, Education, Human Sciences, Health Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. It serves 30,929 students through 12 campuses nationwide, supplemented by distance and part-time education delivered via a Moodle-based eLearning platform, with admission pathways including standard Grade 12 entry, Mature Age Entry (MAE), and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The university also runs 265 active research projects, hosts academic conferences, and operates the Chancellor's Innovation Fund incubation programme for technology-based ventures.
Is University of Namibia a public or private company?
University of Namibia is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University of Namibia founded?
University of Namibia was founded in 1992. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is University of Namibia based?
University of Namibia is headquartered in Windhoek, Namibia, in the Africa region.
How does University of Namibia make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Academic Fees are the primary driver. The others are conference and Event Hosting and short Courses and Professional Development.
Who are University of Namibia's main competitors?
Regional players on record are University of Botswana, Makerere University and Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Broad incumbents are Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Pretoria, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and University of the Western Cape. Direct peers are Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and International University of Management (IUM).
Does University of Namibia have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of Namibia.
What industry is University of Namibia in?
University of Namibia's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAA, Flagship Public Research Universities (R1/R2), with a secondary code of EDAHAAAI, Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.