The company was established in 1998 and is headquartered in Windhoek's Academia suburb.
August 26 handles research, development and procurement on behalf of the defence ministry but has also spread into non-military branches like construction, tourism and agriculture.
August 26 is a holding company for several subsidiaries, many closely related to military supplies and services.
As of 2025[update] it consists of the following companies:[1] August 26's audited reports have never been made public,[2] citing confidentiality.
During the company's existence, allegations of corruption, graft and mismanagement have surfaced, and August 26 is perceived to be a "holy cow", defying "even the [...] head of state".