USIU-Africa (United States International University-Africa) operates as a not-for-profit private institution without individual owners or shareholders.
USIU-Africa insists it has no “owners”, but sponsors committed to its mission.
It is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Prof. Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, with no single controlling entity.
On April 10, 2025, USIU-Africa announced the appointment of Ambassador Dennis Awori as its new Chancellor, expected to serve for 5 years.
Kenyan billionaire, industrialist Dr Manu Chandaria, former Chancellor and longtime Board of Trustees chair, has been pivotal in USIU-Africa’s growth through philanthropy, including endowing its Chandaria School of Business.
While USIU was not founded by Chandaria, trustees like current Chair Prof. Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran and Secretary Ms Phyllis Wakiaga provide not-for-profit oversight, ensuring reinvestment over profit extraction
Currently, the institution’s board of trustees are as follows:
- Prof. Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran – Chair
- Ms Phyllis Wakiaga – Secretary
- Ms Carole Kariuki – Member
- Ms Julia Slocombe – Member
- Magdalene Johnson Obaji – Member
History of USIU-Africa Establishment
USIU-Africa originated from Balboa Law College, founded in 1927 in San Diego, USA, evolving into USIU under Dr William C. Rust by 1968.
The Nairobi campus registered on September 18, 1969, via Kenya’s Companies Act, with a 1970 MoU enabling distinctive degrees absent from public universities.
1970-1980: Expanded amid challenges; Dr Dee Aker (1981-84) and Dr Lillian Beam (1984-94) led regulatory compliance.
1991: Relocated to the 20-acre Kasarani campus to meet the Universities Act standards, absorbing students from public university strikes.
1999: Granted full Charter by President Daniel Arap Moi, becoming independent as USIU-Africa; accredited by WASC (since 1978) and Kenya’s CHE.
2001: USIU San Diego merged into Alliant International University, fully separating the African campus.
In 2005, USIU-Africa attained independent accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and was accredited by Kenya’s Commission for University Education (CUE), solidifying its status as a recognised institution of higher learning both locally and internationally.
By 2025, enrollment reached 7,000+ across six schools with dual CUE-WSCUC accreditation; Dr Manu Chandaria’s trusteeship ended with Dennis Awori as Chancellor.
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It graduated 1,500+ students, launching AI programs under Prof. Mwenda Ntarangwi.
Location and Courses Offered
The University is situated in the Roysambu neighbourhood, right within Kasarani, 12 kilometres from Nairobi’s CBD.
USIU Africa offers both Certificate, Diploma, Higher Diploma, Degree, master’s and PhD programs in various fields.
The University has seven schools with one Centre for Executive Education.
These include:
- Chandaria School of Business
- School of Science and Technology
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- School of Communication, Cinematic and Creative Arts
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The instituition also offers a range of short courses designed to equip learners with practical skills and specialised knowledge in various fields.
These include culinary courses, entrepreneurship programs, and executive courses tailored for professionals seeking leadership development.
The university also provides language courses to support multilingual proficiency, and it is an accredited centre for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Other specialised programs include Applied Behaviour Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Behaviour Change, and Vaccines Management and Immunisation—each designed to meet current market needs and global standards.
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