The President, HE Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, in a keynote address at the World Hydrogen Summit, on Tuesday underscored the significance of green hydrogen initiatives in fostering economic growth and sustainable development.
The summit, held in Rotterdam, gathered notable figures including government officials, industry leaders, and delegates to discuss advancements and opportunities in the hydrogen sector.
Mbumba began by expressing gratitude to the Dutch Government for their warm hospitality towards the Namibian Delegation.
He highlighted the longstanding bilateral relations between Namibia and the Netherlands, emphasizing shared commitments to global peace and sustainable development, with green hydrogen emerging as a pivotal area of collaboration.
Recognizing the transformative potential of green hydrogen in driving industrialization and economic transformation in Africa, Mbumba outlined Namibia's efforts in harnessing this technology.
"The Namibian government, together with national and international stakeholders, is spearheading efforts to unlock the massive potential of green hydrogen. Over the past few years, the government through the Green Hydrogen Council, has worked tirelessly to position Namibia as the primary leader in the global market for Green Hydrogen and we are now starting to see concrete visible results," he said.
He credited the late President Dr. Hage Geingob for his vision of recognizing green hydrogen's catalytic role in reconstructing Namibia's economy, citing it as a testament to visionary leadership.
"As a result of his tireless efforts, today Namibia hosts nine hydrogen projects, across two developing hydrogen valleys, with the potential for a third valley to be anchored by its abundant iron ore potential," he added.
He highlighted Namibia's participation in the World Hydrogen Summit, showcasing its green hydrogen initiatives and providing updates on project statuses and infrastructure developments.
Moreover, Mbumba emphasized the broader implications of green hydrogen beyond clean molecule production, including its potential to anchor new industries and enhance regional logistics capabilities.
He outlined plans to develop an ammonia bunkering hub and a green hydrogen-powered train to decarbonize shipping and long-haul logistics routes, bolstering regional trade and competitiveness.
"This will not only increase the competitiveness of Walvis Bay and Luderitz as harbours of choice for key exporters and importers, but we believe it will increase the competitiveness of our regional goods, augment the African Continental Free Trade Area, thereby boosting intra-African trade in the process," he said.
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Meanwhile, he said Namibia's newly developed green industrialisation blueprint further illustrates how green hydrogen can be used to add value to minerals sourced from within the borders and indeed the continent.
"In Namibia, we plan to produce green direct reduced iron, a key low carbon ingredient that promises to decarbonise the steel industry, which according to the International Energy Agency contributes to more than 8% of global emissions.," he added.
In concluding his address, Mbumba extended an invitation to stakeholders to join Namibia at the upcoming African Global Green Hydrogen Summit in September.
He emphasized the summit's focus on showcasing Africa's green hydrogen ecosystem, discussing policy interventions, and presenting financial models to foster sectoral growth.
