Ongwediva is located in the northern part of Namibia within the Oshana Region. The development process of the town dates back to the nineteen sixties when it was first established in the traditional area of Headman Nandjembo Mengela and developed into a residential and institutional settlement.

The creation of the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing (MRLGH) after independence in 1990, created favorable conditions for urban development in rural centers and Ongwediva was subsequently proclaimed as a town in 1992.

Ongwediva, by virtue of its historical background, is a town with sharp contrast in terms of its urban set up. The residential area boast modern urban facilities as opposed to the town lands that features informal business activities on prime land and prominent elements of rural settlement on which subsistence farming activities are commonly practiced.