Powering inclusive growth and energy security in Namibia and beyond

Green hydrogen, produced by electrolysing water using renewable energy, is emerging as a cornerstone of Africa’s sustainable development. Countries such as Namibia are leveraging abundant sunshine and wind to generate green hydrogen (GH2), opening avenues for economic diversification, job creation, and energy self-reliance.

The Namibian government projects that a full-scale GH2 industry could create around 85,000 direct jobs by 2030, along with 60,000 indirect jobs. Crucially, partnerships with international investors are being structured as “partnerships of equals” that deliver local value: they get green hydrogen, and Namibia gains jobs and added value. By exporting energy while developing domestic industries, African GH2 initiatives aim to ensure inclusive growth that benefits local communities, not just foreign offtakers.

Energy security and climate resilience

Green hydrogen is not merely an export commodity; it also has the potential to strengthen Africa’s energy security and climate resilience. In Namibia, the GH2 rollout will substantially expand domestic renewable generation, which can power the national grid and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. The Hyphen project alone could produce so much additional clean electricity that it would meet all of Namibia’s internal power needs and even export power to neighbouring nations. This is a transformative prospect for a country that currently imports a significant share of its electricity.

Decentralised hydrogen production hubs, integrated with solar and wind, also enhance reliability — acting as mini-grids that can supply industry and communities around the clock. Such systems are inherently more climate-resilient, as they diversify the energy mix and provide backup fuel for critical services.

Green hydrogen development can also address multiple infrastructure gaps. For example, large-scale projects often include desalination plants to supply water for electrolysis, with millions of cubic metres of excess freshwater made available for local agriculture and households. In Mauritania, planners estimate that the planned GH2 industry will deliver over 50 million m³ of desalinated water annually for domestic use, alongside hydrogen-powered public buses to reduce urban pollution. By coupling energy and water solutions, hydrogen hubs can improve access to essential resources.

Moreover, using some of the hydrogen locally, for buses, trucks, or fertiliser, enhances domestic energy security, reducing imports of diesel or ammonia and buffering against global supply shocks. In South Africa, for instance, green hydrogen is viewed not only as an export opportunity but also as “a means to decarbonise (the) large heavy-industry and mining sectors” currently reliant on coal. This transition will safeguard the future of key industries, such as steel, chemicals, and mining. In short, GH2 is becoming integral to national strategies for building resilient economies and cleaner, more secure energy systems across Africa.

A continental hydrogen wave

Namibia’s progress is part of a broader African green hydrogen boom that is capturing global attention. Six countries, namely, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, and South Africa, have formed the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance to coordinate efforts and speak with one voice.

Mauritania, for instance, is planning mega-projects totalling approximately 85 GW of renewables, aiming to produce 12.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2035. Several consortia are advancing rapidly: one, led by British, French, and Australian firms, plans the 10 GW Project Nour, while another (CWP Global’s Aman) targets 30 GW. These developments could make Mauritania one of the world’s top hydrogen suppliers and support a domestic green steel industry by using hydrogen to process the country’s iron ore.

Likewise, Morocco and Egypt have signed dozens of agreements for green ammonia and e-fuels, leveraging their vast deserts and proximity to Europe. South Africa is repurposing its expertise in Fischer-Tropsch fuels and platinum-based electrolysis towards GH2, with national utility Eskom and companies such as Sasol planning hydrogen hubs in industrial zones. Even smaller economies such as Kenya are exploring green hydrogen from geothermal and solar resources to both electrify rural areas and produce fertiliser.

What distinguishes this wave is its emphasis on sustainable, inclusive development. Many African GH2 projects include frameworks for local content, skills transfer, and community engagement from the outset. Across the continent, universities and technical institutes are launching programmes to train the future hydrogen workforce, while governments are insisting that a share of value-added activities, such as component manufacturing or mineral processing, take place on African soil. If managed wisely, green hydrogen could become a catalyst for industrialisation in Africa’s resource-rich nations, transforming renewable resource abundance into high-value products and well-paid jobs.