Unam faces student housing crisis as applications far exceed available beds

About 2 389 students have applied for 1 150 available beds at at the University of Namibia’s (Unam) Main Campus in Windhoek for the 2026 academic year, highlighting severe pressure on student accommodation.

This is according to Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho.

The applications include 1 500 new applicants and 889 returning students.

“As a result of the limited residence capacity, some students are forced to stay at the Khomasdal Campus hostel while attending academic programmes at the Hage Geingob Campus,” Namesho says.

He says the accommodation shortage is not unique to the main campus, noting that residence facilities at 11 of Unam’s 12 campuses are oversubscribed each year.

Namesho says the university continues to work with surrounding communities and private accommodation providers to accommodate students, while welcoming private student-oriented housing developments near its campuses.

SYSTEMATIC FAILURE

Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has criticised the situation, describing it as a long-standing systemic failure that has not been addressed despite parliamentary commitments.

“This is not just a broken promise, it is a systemic failure,” Nanso spokesperson Jessy Abraham says.

She says the construction of a student village was formally tabled, debated and approved in the National Assembly several years ago, with funds allocated in the 2022/23 financial year, yet no construction has taken place.

Abraham says students continue to suffer as a result, with many forced into private accommodation where rental fees can reach up to N$3 000 per month for shared and often sub-standard living conditions.

She says the failure to implement the approved project raises serious accountability concerns over the use of budgeted funds.

Abraham says the accommodation crisis is forcing students to make difficult choices, including spending most of their non-tuition fee allowances on rent, leaving them unable to afford food, textbooks and other basic necessities.

Students’ Union of Namibia president Bernhard Kavau says the situation reflects a serious policy failure.

He says the student accommodation crisis has reached catastrophic levels and accused authorities of prolonged neglect despite repeated calls for affordable and dignified student housing.

“We propose that Ramatex in Windhoek’s Otjomuise be temporarily repurposed into student accommodation as an urgent intervention, while long-term solutions are pursued through public-private partnerships,” Kauvau says. “The absence of a rent control bill has left students at the mercy of exploitative landlords and unregulated rental markets.”

He says student accommodation is not a luxury but a fundamental enabler of the right to education, adding that continued inaction risks forcing more students to abandon their studies.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.