N$1 Billion Student Housing Project Set to Ease Windhoek Accommodation Shortage

A large-scale student accommodation development worth approximately N$1 billion is gaining traction in Windhoek, aiming to address the city's ongoing shortage of quality student housing. Set to be built in Khomasdal's Extension 16, the project will feature 11 residential blocks of three to four storeys, providing housing for roughly 3,000 students.

The development will occupy a 16-hectare site � about the size of 16 football fields � and will be delivered through a public-private partnership (PPP). The PPP model includes the design, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and eventual handover of the facility.

The proposed student village follows the completion of a feasibility study, which is currently undergoing review. Procurement is expected to begin once the Ministry of Finance grants transaction approval.

The need for purpose-built student accommodation has grown more urgent as university enrolment rises, fuelled by the introduction of new academic programmes. This increase has outstripped the capacity of current on-campus housing, prompting authorities to find long-term solutions.

Private rentals in Windhoek were found to offer substandard living conditions for students, adding to the rationale for this dedicated housing initiative.

The two erven identified for the project � erf 6508 and erf 6509 � will be rezoned to allow for general residential use and consolidated into one parcel of land. Progress is also being made on environmental requirements.

Environmental consultants have submitted both a scoping report and an environmental management plan as part of the process to obtain environmental clearance. The project will proceed once all necessary approvals are secured.

A project manager and engineer have already been appointed, and the implementing agency will be the former Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, now operating under the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture.

According to documents reviewed by The Brief, the project is viewed as a timely response to both the growing demand for student housing and the broader push to improve learning conditions for tertiary students in the capital.

Construction is expected to commence following final approvals and procurement, under the close supervision of the implementing agency.