Special issue · Green Hydrogen

Green Hydrogen

Overview

Namibia’s ambitions to become a leader in green hydrogen were first laid out in the Harambee Prosperity Plan II launched by President Geingob on 18 March 2021. The plan highlighted the Southern Corridor Development Initiative (SCDI) within Namibia’s Tsau //Khaeb or Sperrgebiet in the far south of the country. Namibia’s green hydrogen plans are overseen by its Green Hydrogen Council chaired by the Director General of the National Planning Commission and Green Hydrogen Commissioner James Mnyupe. On 4 November 2022 Namibia launched its Green Hydrogen Strategy and went on to establish the Implementation Authority Office (IAO) to streamline and oversee green hydrogen developments.

At COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021 the Namibian Government unveiled Hyphen Hydrogen Energy , a partnership between Germany’s Enertrag and the UK’s Nicholas Holdings, as the winning bidder to its Request for Proposals launched on 3 August 2021. Hyphen plans to build a US$10 billion green hydrogen and green ammonia plant in the Springbok and Dolphin areas of the SCDI using 7GW of solar PV and wind energy and 3GW of electrolyser capacity to produce two million tonnes of green ammonia annually before the end of the decade for export to regional and global markets through the southern port of Lüderitz. On 26 May 2023, the Government of Namibia signed a Feasibility and Investment Agreement (FIA) with Hyphen thus kickstarting a two-year period during which detailed feasibility studies will be carried out. On 21 June 2023 the Government announced it would be taking up a 24% stake in the business. Although at this stage, the Hyphen development is the largest and most ambitious of Namibia’s plans, a number of other initiatives are also underway.

Cleanergy Solutions Namibia was a joint venture between Namibia’s Ohlthaver & List Group and Belgium’s CMB.TECH. Cleanergy started construction of what was envisaged to be Africa’s first green hydrogen plant outside Walvis Bay in April 2023 and planned to start production by the first quarter of 2024. This was to be a demonstration plant using solar PV and battery storage to produce 220 tonnes of green hydrogen a year. Cleanergy stated that it was exploring linking up with Australia’s Fortescue Future Industries for a next-stage green ammonia plant. A brick-laying ceremony was held at the Cleanergy site outside Walvis Bay on 28 September 2023 and the “Hydrogen Dune” demonstration plant was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 18 September 2025. On 17 October 2025 Ohlthaver & List announced it was selling its stake in Cleanergy to H2Infra NV, a subsidiary of CMB.TECH.

The Dâures Green Hydrogen Consortium (DGHC) led by Enersense plans to develop Africa’s first Net Zero Village in the Dâures constituency in the Erongo Region. Phase 1 of the project will see solar and wind energy produce 18 tonnes of green hydrogen and 100 tonnes of green ammonia by Q2 of 2024 which will be followed by Phases 2-4. On 30 January 2023 Dâures and Fortescue Future Industries announced they would collaborate on developing the project. A ground-breaking ceremony for the project was held on 28 March 2023 and President Mbumba inaugurated the Dâures Green Hydrogen Village on 21 October 2024.

Hydrogen de France (HDF) plans to build a green hydrogen power plant as part of its Renewstable® Swakopmundon the outskirts of Swakopmund by 2025. The project envisages an 85MW of solar PV producing green hydrogen from electrolysers using its own water desalination plant. The hydrogen is stored and combined with stabilising battery storage to produce electricity from hydrogen fuel cells to produce stable, firm, dispatchable electricity 24 hours a day.

Namibian-German partnership HyIron aims to reduce iron ore in a rotary kiln using green hydrogen thus producing Direct Reduced Iron with zero carbon emissions. HyIron’s Oshivela project in Arandis aims to use a 20MW of solar PV to produce 15,000 tonnes of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) making it one of the biggest primary production sites of green iron worldwide. The first phase was inaugurated by President Nandi-Ndaitwah on 11 April 2025. A further 18MW of wind power and 140MW of solar PV will be added to the project at later stages.

Fortescue Future Industries is exploring options in Namibia having lost out to Hyphen in the initial RFP. It has linked up with Dâures and also Cleanergy and has offered Government equal participation in a second major project in the SCDI.

Kaoko Green Energy Solutions has teamed up with Finland’s AW-Energy to use its patented WaveRoller technology wave energy to produce green hydrogen.

There are other players in the green hydrogen space in Namibia such as HopHydro, Zhero, Chiffon Green Hydrogen, and Zero Carbon Namibia but little public information is available about them. More information on renewable energy and green hydrogen developments can be obtained from the Etango newsletter.

On 21 August 2021 the Namibian and German Governments signed an MoU involving the award of €40 million to Namibia from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to support various green hydrogen initiatives through the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL). On 14 December 2022 SASSCAL and the DGHC signed a €12 million funding agreement. At a ceremony at State House on 29 March 2023 SASSCAL re-announced four awards it had announced in August 2022 to the DGHC, Cleanergy, a consortium of Hyphen Technical, Traxtion, CMB.TECH and TransNamib, and CMB.TECH and Namport. Further links between Namibia and Europe include the Port of Lüderitz partnering with the Port of Rotterdam to develop capacity to handle green hydrogen and the Port of Walvis Bay partnering with the Port of Antwerp. At COP27 President Geingob signed an MOU with the European Investment Bank for €500 million of loans for renewable energy projects.

Last checked: 7 Apr 2026 · As at 7 Apr 2026

Regulators

Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB): The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) was established by President Hage Geingob in January 2021 as a Section 21 Company in the Office of the President overseen by an Advisory Board taking over the functions of the Namibia Investment Centre housed in the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade. The NIPDB serves as a “one stop shop” for investors providing investors with a wide range of support. Ms Nangula Uaandja was appointed its first CEO from 1 January 2021.Read more about Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB)

Source: Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, last checked 28 Mar 2025

Public enterprises

Namibian Ports Authority: The Namibian Ports Authority (“NamPort”) owns and operates Namibia’s two ports at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz as set out in the Namibian Ports Authority Act (Act No.2 of 1994). Namport’s financial year runs from 1 April. Namport is rated by Fitch Ratings. Namport’s CEO is Mr Andrew Kanime who was appointed on 1 November 2020.Read more about Namibian Ports Authority
TransNamib Holdings: In its present form, TransNamib was established under the National Transport Services Holding Company Act (Act No.28 of 1998). TransNamib Holdings provides a range of transport and logistics services including bulk freight, containerised services, TNX/OPX, special trains and passenger services. TransNamib’s financial year runs from 1 April. TransNamib’s interim CEO was Mr Webster Gonzo who was appointed on 1 April 2023 until Mr Desmond van Jaarsveld was appointed permanent CEO from 17 April 2024.Read more about TransNamib Holdings

Timeline

Event date 1 Nov 2025: James Mnyupe steps down as Namibia's first Green Hydrogen Commissioner.
Event date 17 Oct 2025: O&L announces it will sell its stake in Cleanergy to H2Infra NV, a subsidiary of CMB.TECH.
Event date 18 Sep 2025: On behalf of President Nandi-Ndaitwah, Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare inaugurates the Cleanergy Solutions Namibia green hydrogen demonstration plant outside Walvis Bay.
Event date 11 Apr 2025: President Nandi- Ndaitwah inaugurates the HyIron Oshivela plant in Arandis.
Event date Feb 2025: The SWAPO Manifesto Implementation Plan envisages an ammonia terminal by 2028.
Event date 25 Dec 2024: Dutch-based investment manager Climate Fund Managers completes the acquisition of 24% in Hyphen Hydrogen Energy through the SDG Namibia One Fund.
Event date 24 Oct 2024: President Mbumba inaugurates the Daures Green Hydrogen Village near Uis.
Event date 14 Oct 2024: Finland-based AW Energy secures approval of Environmental Impact Assessment from Ministry of Environment to deploy its WaveRoller ocean energy technology in Namibia.
Event date 3–5 Sep 2024: Namibia hosts the first Global African Hydrogen Summit in Windhoek attended by the EU Energy Commission Kadri Simson
Event date 26 May 2024: The Namibian Chamber of Environment publishes a position paper warning of the negative consequences of developing green hydrogen in the TKNP and "Red Hydrogen"
Event date 14 May 2024: President Mbumba attends the Global Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam
Event date 2 May 2024: The Port of Antwerp announces plans for a €250 million green hydrogen and ammonia export facility at Walvis Bay
Event date 2 May 2024: The King of Belgium tours the Cleanergy demonstration plant site outside Walvis Bay
Event date 9 Apr 2024: President Mbumba inaugurates ten new wind masts for Hyphen Energy
Event date 26 Mar 2024: Namibia is invited to join the International Hydrogen Trade Forum
Event date 20 Mar 2024: Germany presents Enertrag with a Letter of Intent stating that Hyphen project is a strategic project for Germany
Event date 5 Mar 2024: The US grants US$1 million to Namibia's green hydrogen fund
Event date 2 Mar 2024: James Mnyupe appoints seven executives to Green Hydrogen Programme from 1 February 2024
Event date 21 Dec 2023: Hyphen announces agreement with SDG Namibia One to secure funding for the 24.1% Government stake
Event date 7 Dec 2023: Hyphen secures €5 million loan from Development Bank of Southern Africa
Event date 6 Dec 2023: Hyphen is recognised as a Low Carbon Hydrogen Energy Transition Changemaker at COP28 in Dubai
Event date 6 Nov 2023: Oshivela ground-breaking ceremony takes place in Arandis
Event date 24–25 Oct 2023: A high-level EU-Namibia Business Forum takes place in Brussels
Event date 24 Oct 2023: Hyphen enters into funding facility agreement with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Event date 28 Sep 2023: Cleanergy Namibia holds brick-laying ceremony at Walvis Bay and announces a partnership with Fortescue Future Industries
Event date 31 Aug 2023: Shell announces no light oil discovery at Cullinan-1 well in PEL039
Event date 11 Jul 2023: Shell announces fourth discovery of light oil at Lesedi-1 well in PEL039
Event date 26 Jun 2023: SDG Namibia One, a 1 billion blended financing vehicle for green hydrogen investment will include the participation of Namibia's Environmental Investment Fund and Climate Fund Managers BV and Invest International BV of the Netherlands
Event date 21 Jun 2023: Government of Namibia confirms it will take a 24% stake in Hyphen Hydrogen
Event date 30 May 2023: SASSCAL launches its H2Atlas
Event date 30 May 2023: The Environmental Fund of Namibia invites consultancy bids for conducting feasibility studies for three hydrogen valleys in the southern, central and northern regions of Namibia
Event date 26 May 2023: Government of Namibia signs Feasibility and Implementation Agreement (FIA) with Hyphen Hydrogen
Event date 4 May 2023: Finnish wave energy company AW-Energy announces it has signed an MoU with Kaoko Green Energy Solutions for the deployment of its WaveRoller technology in the Kunene Region
Event date 20 Apr 2023: During a state visit to South Africa Presidents Geingob and Ramaphosa announce plans to cooperate on the development of a green hydrogen economy
Event date 29 Mar 2023: At a ceremony at State House, SASSCAL awards grants to Daures, Cleanergy, a locomotive consortium and CMB.TECH and Namport as well as scholarships for young Namibians
Event date 28 Mar 2023: Daures ground-breaking ceremony takes place
Event date 3 Mar 2023: Shell announces third discovery of light oil at Jonker-1 well in PEL039
Event date 30 Jan 2023: FFI and Enersense annouce that they have signed an MoU to explore collaboration on the Daures Green Hydrogen Village project
Event date 5 Dec 2022: Germany's Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Robert Habeck leads a delegation to Namibia to discuss green hydrogen opportunities
Event date 2 Dec 2022: Hyphen signs agreement with Germany's RWE for delivery of up to 300,000t of green ammonia
Event date 16 Nov 2022: At COP27 President Geingob signs MOU with EU's Ursula von der Leyen on green hydrogen and critical raw materials and with Werner Hoyer of the EIB on €500 million loan to finance renewable energy projects https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_22_6683
Event date 14–18 Nov 2022: Finnish Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Minister Ville Skinnari leads a delegation to South Africa and Namibia to discuss green hydrogen
Event date 6–18 Nov 2022: COP27 takes place in Sharm el-Sheik Egypt
Event date 4 Nov 2022: Namibia launches Green Hydrogen Strategy
Event date 16–17 Aug 2022: Namibia National Conference on Green Hydrogen
Event date 1 Jun 2022: Hyphen press release
Event date 1 May 2022: Closing of JcoI bids
Event date 22 Apr 2022: Shell announces second discovery of light oil at La Rona-1 well in PEL039
Event date 12 Apr 2022: Launch of Joint Communique of Intent bid documents to develop pilot green hydrogen plants
Event date 11 Apr 2022: Green Hydrogen Council appoints 21-member negotiating team to support negotiations with Hyphen
Event date 25 Feb 2022: Suiso Frontier arrives in Japan and offloads hydrogen shipment
Event date 24 Feb 2022: TotalEnergies annouces significant light oil discovery at Venus well in PEL056
Event date 22 Feb 2022: Cleanergy Namibia launches green hydrogen demonstration project
Event date 27 Jan 2022: Prof Dr Anicia Peters presents at Namibian Scientific Society
Event date 25 Jan 2022: Shell annouces significant discovery of light oil at Graff-1 well in PEL039 (earlier and later dates for announcements)
Event date 21 Jan 2022: Suiso Frontier leaves Australia for Japan to test shipping of liquid hydrogen
Event date 16 Dec 2021: Inaugural meeting of the Namibia private sector green hydrogen task force takes place
Event date 23 Nov 2021: James Mnyupe tells the Africa Green Hydrogen Forum that Namibia may release a second Request for Proposals for the development of a second large-scale green hydrogen complex at the World Economic Forum in January 2022
Event date 10 Nov 2021: Namibia Ports Authority signs an MoU with Europe’s largest port operator the Port of Rotterdam to create the infrastructure needed to transport renewable fuels to Europe
Event date 4 Nov 2021: At the COP26 in Glasgow Namibia announces Hyphen as the preferred bidder to develop a US$9.4 billion vertically integrated green hydrogen project in the Tsau //Khaeb national park. Government states it hopes to take up a stake of between 10% and 24% in the operation
Event date 4 Nov 2021: Energy Minister Tom Alweendo signs an MoU with the Belgian Government under which Belgium will assist Namibia develop a hydrogen refuelling station and a medium-sized solar power plant
Event date 2 Nov 2021: Namport signs MoU with Port of Rotterdam
Event date 4 Oct 2021: Namibia hosts a Namibia Energy Roundtable at the World Economic Forum
Event date 1 Oct 2021: The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung publishes “Issues, Challenges and Opportunities to Develop Green Hydrogen in Namibia” by Dr Detlof von Oertzen. The report is launched in December
Event date 16 Sep 2021: Namibia receives nine bids from local, regional, and international developers to create large-scale green hydrogen projects for the SCDI
Event date 2 Sep 2021: The Green Hydrogen Research Institute is established at the University of Namibia following Cabinet approval
Event date 31 Aug 2021: US holds “Hydrogen Shot” Summit
Event date 25 Aug 2021: NPC Director General Obeth Kandjoze signs a €40 million hydrogen partnership between Namibia and Germany and a Joint Communique of Intent in Windhoek and Berlin
Event date 23 Aug 2021: Compulsory site meeting for SDCI RFP
Event date 17 Aug 2021: UK launches Hydrogen Strategy
Event date 3 Aug 2021: President Geingob launches green hydrogen Request for Proposals (RFPs) which are handled by the NIPDB
Event date 3 Aug 2021: James Mnyupe is appointed Green Hydrogen Commissioner and eight-member Green Hydrogen Council is established
Event date 23 Jun 2021: SDCI Market Sounding takes place
Event date 7 Jun 2021: The US Department of Energy launches its first Energy Earthshot – the hydrogen shot – aiming to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% to less than US$1 for 1kg in 1 decade (“111”)
Event date 1 Jun 2021: Global engineering consultancy Hatch develops “Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Strategy” at the request of Government
Event date 28 May 2021: “Namibia Port of Rotterdam Hydrogen Supply Chain Prefeasibility Report” is published
Event date 23 May 2021: Namibia Green Hydrogen Research Institute established at UNAM
Event date 1 May 2021: McKinsey & Co publish “Roadmap to Build Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Sector”
Event date 15 Apr 2021: ReconAfrica confirms working petroleum system in Kavango Basin
Event date 31 Mar 2021: A delegation from the Fortescue Future Industries visits Namibia on an exploratory mission to establish a green hydrogen project in Luderitz and pays a courtesy call on Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
Event date 18 Mar 2021: President Geingob launches the Harambee Prosperity Plan II with the Southern Corridor Development Initiative as part of the Economic Advancement Pillar
Event date 1 Jan 2021: Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) is established in the Office of the President and Nangula Uaandja is appointed CEO
Event date 1 Dec 2020: World Bank publishes “Green Hydrogen Opportunities for Namibia – Phase I Report”
Event date 1 Sep 2020: James Mnyupe is appointed Presidential Economic Advisor from 1 September 2020
Event date 1 Jun 2020: Germany publishes a National Hydrogen Strategy, one of the first countries to do so
Event date 16 Mar 2020: President Geingob announces he will create a Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board to replace the Namibian Investment Centre

In collaboration with Robin Sherbourne.

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