| Post: | Colonial governor |
| Body: | South West Africa |
| Flag: | Reichskolonialflagge.svg |
| Flagborder: | yes |
| Department: | German South West Africa |
| Formation: | 9 April 1883 |
| First: | Heinrich Vogelsang |
| Last: | Louis Pienaar |
| Abolished: | 21 March 1990 |
| Succession: | President of Namibia |
This article lists the colonial governors of South West Africa. South West Africa was the colonial predecessor of the modern day Republic of Namibia from when the territory was controlled by the German Empire (as German South West Africa) and the Union of South Africa.
The title of the position changed a number of times. Under German rule, the title of the position went from Commissioner (1884–1893) to Provincial Governor (German: Landeshauptleute) (1893–1898) to Governor (1898–1915). Under South African rule, the title was Administrator (1915–1977) and Administrator-General (1977–1990).
After the United Nations terminated South Africa's mandate to govern South West Africa, the UN appointed commissioners of its own. They had no authority and South Africa refused to recognize them, and are not included here.
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| German: Magistrat | ||||||
| – | Heinrich Vogelsang | 9 April 1883 | 12 May 1883 | |||
| 1 | Adolf Lüderitz | 12 May 1883 | 7 October 1884 | |||
| German: Reichskommissar | ||||||
| 2 | Gustav Nachtigal | 7 October 1884 | 20 April 1885 † | |||
| – | Heinrich Ernst Göring | 20 April 1885 | August 1890 | |||
| – | Louis Nels | August 1890 | March 1891 | |||
| 3 | Curt von François | March 1891 | November 1893 | |||
| German: Landeshauptleute | ||||||
| 3 | Curt von François | November 1893 | 15 March 1894 | |||
| 4 | Theodor Leutwein | 15 March 1894 | 27 June 1895 | |||
| 27 June 1895 | 18 April 1898 | |||||
| German: Gouverneur | ||||||
| 4 | Theodor Leutwein | 18 April 1898 | 19 August 1905 | |||
| – | Lothar von Trotha | 19 August 1905 | November 1905 | |||
| 5 | Friedrich von Lindequist | November 1905 | 20 May 1907 | |||
| 6 | Bruno von Schuckmann | 20 May 1907 | 20 June 1910 | |||
| 7 | Theodor Seitz | 28 August 1910 | 9 July 1915 | |||
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| Occupation by South Africa | ||||||
| Military Governor | ||||||
| 1 | Louis Botha | 9 July 1915 | 11 July 1915 | |||
| 2 | Percival Scott Beves | 11 July 1915 | 30 October 1915 | |||
| Administrator | ||||||
| 3 | Sir Edmond Howard Lacam Gorges | 31 October 1915 | 1 October 1920 | |||
| 4 | Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr | 1 October 1920 | 17 December 1920 | |||
| League of Nations mandate (administered by South Africa) | ||||||
| 4 | Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr | 17 December 1920 | 1 April 1926 | |||
| 5 | Albertus Johannes Werth | 1 April 1926 | 1 April 1933 | years | ||
| 6 | David Gideon Conradie | 1 April 1933 | 1 April 1943 | years | ||
| 7 | Petrus Imker Hoogenhout | 1 April 1943 | 6 December 1951 | |||
| 8 | Albertus Johannes Roux van Rhijn | 6 December 1951 | 1 December 1953 | |||
| 9 | Daniel Thomas du Plessis Viljoen | 1 December 1953 | 1 December 1963 | years | ||
| 10 | Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis | 1 December 1963 | 1 November 1968 | |||
| South African occupation of Namibia | ||||||
| 11 | 1 November 1968 | 1 November 1971 | years | |||
| 12 | Barend Johannes van der Walt | 1 November 1971 | 1 September 1977 | |||
| Administrator-General | ||||||
| 13 | Marthinus T. Steyn | 1 September 1977 | 7 August 1979 | |||
| 14 | Gerrit Viljoen | 7 August 1979 | 4 September 1980 | |||
| 15 | Danie Hough | 4 September 1980 | 1 February 1983 | |||
| 16 | Willie van Niekerk | 1 February 1983 | 1 July 1985 | |||
| 17 | Louis Pienaar | 1 July 1985 | 21 March 1990 | |||