Windhoek: Namibia is shifting its green hydrogen agenda towards green industrialisation, seeking to use renewable energy to drive manufacturing, mineral beneficiation, new industries, and job creation. The shift is being highlighted at the inaugural African Green Industries Summit (AGIS) taking place in Swakopmund on 09 and 10 September.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the summit is organized by NEA Consulting and endorsed by the Ministry of Industries, Mines, and Energy with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board. AGIS succeeds the previous Global African Hydrogen Summit and broadens the conversation from a sector-specific focus on hydrogen to renewable energy, green fuels, critical minerals, manufacturing, infrastructure, and sustainable industrial development.
Director General of the National Planning Commission, Ambassador Kaire Mbuende, stated on Wednesday that the change positions green hydrogen as an enabler of industrialisation rather than an end in itself. "The journey from the African Green Hydrogen Summit to the African Green Industries Summit is consistent with our policy shift. We now see green hydrogen as an enabler of a broader green industrialisation agenda," Mbuende said. He emphasized that the focus should no longer be solely on hydrogen production, but on using renewable energy to establish industries, add value to resources, and create opportunities.
Namibia's NDP6 targets include 1.3 million tonnes of green ammonia annually, two million tonnes of direct reduced iron, and 70,000 green hydrogen jobs. Interim Head of Programme for Namibia Green Hydrogen, Joseph Mukendwa, mentioned that the country has moved from conceptualising green hydrogen to early implementation, with the expanded approach opening opportunities. An expression-of-interest process identified projects in green ammonia, fertiliser, biomethanol, hydrogen power and storage, critical minerals, refining, electrolyser manufacturing, ceramics, and glass, representing an integrated pipeline of about US$20 billion. Mukendwa highlighted that financing, infrastructure, skills, market access, and long-term offtake agreements remain critical.
European Union Director for International Partnerships, Erica Gerretsen, stated that Africa's green industrial future should not be reduced to producing a single energy carrier. She urged Africa to move beyond exporting raw materials by developing local and regional value chains. "The goal must be to move beyond the simple export of raw materials, but really to create value addition here in Africa and create local and regional markets," she said. Gerretsen indicated that EU support would focus on renewable energy, infrastructure, skills, investment, and green industrial value chains, with success measured by factories, businesses, and jobs created on the continent.