Justicia Shipena
More than 400 Namibian companies have already been assessed as part of an effort to prepare local businesses for participation in the green hydrogen sector.
This comes as Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, in partnership with ENERTRAG and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), on Monday signed a cooperation agreement under the International Hydrogen Ramp-up Programme (H2UPPP) to support local participation in the value chain.
The agreement introduces an enterprise and supplier development programme aimed at building the capacity of Namibian businesses and helping them compete in the sector.
The initiative is backed by grant funding of up to 300 000 euros (approximately N$5.8 million) from H2UPPP, matched by Hyphen.
Hyphen senior manager Johannes Shipepe said the scale of the project requires strong local participation.
Hyphen has committed to spend about 30% of its investment on local companies, which translates to roughly US$3 billion, or about N$54 billion flowing into the Namibian economy.
“This is a significant amount and requires us to identify the right opportunities and support local companies to deliver the required goods and services,” Shipepe said.
Shipepe said the programme focuses on improving tendering skills, compliance and certification, while helping companies access finance and partnerships.
“The objective is to ensure Namibian companies are not limited to basic services but are able to compete for more specialised opportunities across the value chain,” he said.
Hyphen chief executive officer Marco Raffinetti said building local capacity is central to the project.
“We are looking to drive local content and local partnership across the industry. It is about building supply chains, skills and industrial capacity that will support future developments,” Raffinetti said.
GIZ Namibia country manger Tobias Gerster said Germany supports Namibia’s green energy plans.
“The German government is keen on partnering with Namibia in the creation of a just energy transition steered by the green hydrogen industry,” he said.
Gerster said the partnership is growing beyond development support into shared economic interests.
“In these three decades, GIZ has been a dedicated partner to Namibia’s development from day one, and we will remain dedicated,” Gerster said.
“I am proud to say that over the last three years, this cooperation is developing more and more from a development partnership into a partnership of mutual interest,” he said.
Gerster said more than €14 million was allocated to development projects in Namibia during talks in 2025.
He said programmes such as H2UPPP will help local businesses take part in the hydrogen sector and support economic growth.
The hyphen project is still in the feasibility stage. A final investment decision is expected in 2026, with construction of the first phase planned before the end of the year.
The development is located in the Tsau //Khaeb National Park near Lüderitz.
It is expected to produce one million tonnes of green ammonia each year by 2028, increasing to two million tonnes by 2030.
The project is also expected to create about 15 000 construction jobs and 3 000 permanent jobs.
The cooperation agreement was also signed in partnership with the National Planning Commission (NPC).
NPC executive director I-Ben Natangwe Nashandi, speaking on behalf of director general Kaire Mbuende, said coordination between government, private sector and partners is important.
“Partnerships such as these are critical in supporting Namibia’s development priorities and ensuring that we align our efforts with national goals,” he said.
“We must continue to work together to ensure that development interventions are effective, well-coordinated and responsive to the needs of our people,” he said.
