city of windhoek

What city of windhoek does

The City of Windhoek is the municipal government authority for Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia, delivering a comprehensive suite of urban services under a monopoly regulatory mandate. Its core functions span water and electricity supply (including prepaid metering infrastructure with mechanical and electronic readings and 10-year battery backup), public transport (smartcard-based bus system with single-trip fares of NAD 8.50), waste management (including the Clear Bag recycling partnership with Rent-A-Drum), housing, urban planning and building permits, business licensing (fitness certificates, dog licensing, outdoor advertising), city policing, and economic development. Customer segments include individual residents, local businesses, investors (served via the Investment Promotion Unit), tourists, and pet owners.

The City operates a multi-channel service delivery platform combining physical offices (Town House headquarters and three regional offices in Katutura, Khomasdal, and Soweto), a customer contact centre, the E-Portal web platform, the City of Windhoek mobile app (available on Android, iOS, and Huawei), SMS-based self-services, and a vendor network of banks and grocery outlets distributing prepaid utility tokens. Revenue is generated through gazetted tariffs covering municipal rates and taxes, usage-based water and electricity charges (with a 4% infrastructure surcharge on prepaid water), public transport fares, development and betterment fees, business fitness certificate renewals, outdoor advertising permits, and sports facility bookings. The Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre provides SME incubation with 43 stalls under a 3-year programme, and the 25MW Solar PV Plant Project expands renewable energy generation capacity. Strategic direction is set by the City of Windhoek Strategic Plan 2022-2027.

Name

city of windhoek

Legal name

City of Windhoek

Website

https://windhoekcc.org.na

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The City of Windhoek is the municipal government of Namibia's capital, delivering water, electricity, waste, transport, housing, and licensing services to Windhoek residents and businesses through offices, the E-Portal, mobile app, and a prepaid utility vendor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Administrative and Support Services (561)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953), Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

Keywords

• Municipal services
• Water supply
• Electricity distribution
• Waste management
• Public transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Windhoek

HQ country

Namibia

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal Rates and Taxes: Property rates and taxes levied on residential and commercial properties within Windhoek municipal boundaries.
2. Service Tariffs: Charges for water, electricity, and waste management services rendered to properties. Includes refuse removal tariffs, water basic charges, and consumption charges.
3. Prepaid Services: Revenue from prepaid electricity and water meter token sales. Vendors collect revenue on behalf of the City and are paid a percentage-based commission.
4. Public Transport Fares: Bus service revenue from smartcard and cash payments for public transport routes across Windhoek.
5. Fitness Certificates: Fees for business fitness certificates certifying premises are fit for human occupancy, renewable annually.
6. Outdoor Advertising: Fees for billboards, posters, trailers, banners, and estate agent board licenses.
7. Development Fees: Betterment and endowment fees for property development, subdivision, and zoning changes.
8. Dog Licenses: Annual dog tax/license fees (N$30 for dogs, N$15 for spayed dogs certified by a veterinarian).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The City of Windhoek delivers municipal services to residents, businesses, and visitors within its jurisdiction, covering water supply, electricity distribution, waste management and recycling, public bus transport with smartcard payments, urban planning and building permits, housing and human settlements, city police and public safety, and investment and SME development support. Service access is provided through an E-Portal web platform, a multi-OS mobile application, SMS self-reader and balance enquiry services, physical customer care centres, and a vendor network for prepaid utility tokens.

Product overview

The City of Windhoek offers a multi-channel municipal service ecosystem consisting of the E-Portal web platform and Mobile App as the primary digital access points, supplemented by in-person services at Town House and customer care centers. The E-Portal and Mobile App share authentication credentials and provide access to account management, meter readings, traffic fines, and incident reporting. Prepaid utilities (water and electricity) are offered as separate services with vendor networks and token-based systems. Additional services include public transport with smartcard payments, sports facility bookings, swimming pools, the Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre for business incubation, and the Investment Promotion Unit supporting investors. Self-service options include SMS-based balance enquiry and self-reader meter reading registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• City of Windhoek E-Portal Online portal platform for municipal account management, allowing residents to view statements, manage accounts, and access various city services digitally.
• City of Windhoek Mobile App Mobile application providing on-the-go access to core municipal services including account management, meter readings submission, traffic fines viewing, and incident reporting. Available on Android, iOS, and Huawei platforms.
• City of Windhoek Public Transport Bus services with smartcard payment system operating across Windhoek with scheduled routes, timetables, and fare structures. Smartcards can be loaded up to NAD 2000.00, with single trips at NAD 8.50 by smartcard or NAD 9.50 by cash.
• Prepaid Water Meter Service Intelligent prepaid water metering service allowing consumers to prepay for water, control consumption, and receive leak alerts. Installation cost is N$4293.45 excl. VAT, with an optional loan from the City of Windhoek to cover the connection fee. Meters include a 10-year battery backup and remote CIU control within 150m.
• Prepaid Electricity Service Prepaid electricity service allowing customers to purchase electricity tokens from vendors, online, or via cell phone banking using their meter-specific token numbers.
• Investment Promotion Unit Services Dedicated office supporting local and international investors with consultations, site visits facilitation, land inquiries, and aftercare support aligned with the Windhoek Economic Development Strategy 2022-2027.
• Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre Business incubation facility offering affordable infrastructure, capacity-building programmes including mentorship and training, and IT services to SME tenants for a 3-year incubation period. Located on Hans Dietrich Genschner Street with 43 stalls ranging from 29.8 m² to 122 m².
• Sports Facilities Booking Booking service for sports stadiums and facilities including Sam Nujoma Stadium, Johnny Ya Otto Nangudhi Soccer Field, and UN Plaza Basketball Court. Payment must be made within three working days.
• Swimming Pools and Recreational Facilities Booking Public swimming pool and recreational park facilities including Olympia Swimming Pool, Western Suburbs Swimming Pool, Brakwater Recreational Park, and Goreangab Recreational Park.
• Self-Reader Meter Reading Service Service allowing residents to register as self-readers and submit their own meter readings via SMS by sending 'mreg accountNo*statementKey' to short code 269600.
• Balance Enquiry via SMS SMS-based service allowing customers to check their municipal account balance by registering and querying via short code 269600.
• Building Permits Issuance Service for issuing building permits with associated guidelines and application requirements for construction within Windhoek municipal boundaries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Prepaid water meters allow consumers to take full control of water consumption and prevent overspend
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sister Cities / Municipal Multilateral RelationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Windhoek maintains international relations through sister cities agreements and municipal multilateral relations. The Division: External Relations and Networking is tasked with developing, maintaining, managing, reviewing, and monitoring the International Relations and Cooperation Policy.
• Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Investment Promotion Unit works closely with NIPDB to streamline investment processes and support investors navigating national regulatory requirements.
• Windhoek Branch of Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WBNCCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IPU facilitates connections with WBNCCI to help investors connect with local business networks and support services.
• Business & Intellectual Property Agency (BIPA)coreOthersBIPA is the government entity responsible for business registration in Namibia. The City of Windhoek directs businesses to BIPA for registration before applying for municipal fitness certificates.
• Rent-A-DrumcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate contractor responsible for the Clear Bag recycling system collection. While the City of Windhoek empties wheelie bins, Rent-A-Drum collects the clear bags of recyclables on the same day.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City of Cape Town: Metropolitan municipality of a Southern African capital-region city delivering the same integrated water, electricity, refuse, transit, and building-permit services. Cape Town is the most directly comparable municipal authority in scale and service mix within the SADC region.
• City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality: South Africa's administrative-capital municipal authority, operating prepaid water and electricity, bus services, refuse removal, and building control in Pretoria. Highly comparable as a national-capital municipal authority with similar service portfolio.
• Gaborone City Council: Municipal authority for Botswana's capital, delivering water, sanitation, refuse, and urban planning services to a comparable Southern African capital population. Closest peer in country size, governance structure, and service scope.
• Nairobi City County: County government of Kenya's capital providing water, sewerage, roads, planning, and licensing services. Operates the same devolved-municipal mandate at a larger East African scale, comparable in service breadth.
• Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA): Statutory authority managing Uganda's capital with a comparable service mix of water, waste, transport, and urban planning. Operates under a similar centrally-supervised governance model with explicit national-capital scope.

Broad incumbents

• City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality: Largest South African metro providing the same suite of utilities, transit, and planning services. Larger in scale but operates the same municipal-government model and provides a relevant benchmark for service digitalization and tariff structure.

Regional players

• Lusaka City Council: Local authority for Zambia's capital delivering water, sanitation, roads, and markets. Comparable as a Southern African capital municipality facing similar water-stress, FX, and infrastructure conditions as Windhoek.

Others

• City of Windhoek's Sister Cities Network: The City's External Relations and Networking division actively maintains sister-city agreements, providing governance and municipal-service benchmarks from international peer capitals that inform Windhoek's own service design and policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CoWMunicipality
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrrrVjl4mA96LmQpyJJsLYw
• Facebookfacebook.com/cowmunicipality
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-windhoek
• Instagraminstagram.com/cowmunicipality

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about city of windhoek