Tjivikua was born 27 July 1958 in Otjomupanda, Otjozondjupa Region. His mother was a nurse and his father a school teacher. He grew up in Oruuua in the then Ovitoto Reserve, and started primary school in 1967 at Street Barnabas Anglican Church School in Windhoek"s Old Location.
University of Pittsburgh. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
His family soon moved to Katutura as a result of the forced removal of blacks from Old Location and he continued his schooling there. After completing High School at Windhoek"s Augustineum (1976–1978), Tjivikua worked at the main branch of Barclays Bank (now First National Bank) in Windhoek. Tjivikua left Namibia in June 1979 to study Chemistry in the United States at Rockland Community College (1979–1980) and then Lincoln University (1980–1983), from which he graduated cum laude.
He then completed a Master of Science at University of Lowell and a Doctor of Philosophy at University of Pittsburgh and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The thesis was on molecular recognition in organic chemistry. He was a well recognised researcher at that time, and he worked as Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Lincoln University from 1990 to 1995.
In 1995, Tjivikua returned to Namibia to take up the post as founding Rector of Polytechnic of Namibia. He is probably one of the first Namibian to receive a doctorate in the natural sciences, and one of first doctoral honorees at his age in 2006.
He has served on national bodies such as the National Planning Commission (1998–2006), the Namibia Qualifications Authority (1997–present), the Namibia Council for Higher Education (2006–present) and several others
He holds several business interests such as in the financial sector and farming.
2013 Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) - Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) 2008: Bank Windhoek Business Communicator of the Year 2006: FinWeek recognition as one of the 10 most prominent and respected members of the Namibian society 2006: D.Sc (Honoris Causa) for exceptional contributions to the development of higher education in Namibia, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Work Personality Index), United States of America 2005: Life Fellow, Centres for Leadership and Public Values, University of Cape Town and Duke University 1985: Outstanding Young Manitoba of America 1983: American Chemical Society Award, Lincoln University.
