Namibia’s president announces free university education from 2026, says ‘fees have fallen’

Namibia's new president has announced that university fees will be eliminated in 2026.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the first female president of Namibia, made this announcement during her first State of the Nation address on Thursday evening. She told lawmakers that students would pay “no registration or tuition fees” at public universities and technical colleges.

However, she noted there would not be “significant” extra funding for this initiative. This raises questions about how feasible the plan is. Nandi-Ndaitwah explained that free university education would be phased in gradually. Families and students will only need to cover accommodation and related costs for now.

“We have heard your cries: ‘the Fees have Fallen,’” she said. This refers to previous demands from university students in Namibia and South Africa. The funding will come from existing subsidies for some public universities and the student financial assistance fund.

“If we are going to add, we are not going to add a significant amount,” she stated. Primary and secondary education is already free in all public schools across the country.

Some student organizations welcomed Nandi-Ndaitwah’s announcement, while others criticized it as vague and unfeasible. The Affirmative Repositioning Student Command (ARSC) called it an attention-seeking ploy by the government.

“There is no plan; it is just a confused announcement,” they told the BBC. They questioned which students would benefit—post-graduates or undergraduates—and where the funding would come from.

Economist Tannen Groenewald echoed these concerns in an interview with the Windhoek Observer. He suggested that eliminating fees without additional funding could limit student enrollment numbers. He also speculated that it might only apply to low-income households.

This situation mirrors what happened in South Africa in 2017. The government responded to calls for scrapping tertiary education fees during #FeesMustFall protests but only benefited a small number of students. Critics argue this approach was too restrictive, leaving out those who earn too much for aid but struggle with tuition costs.