Rt Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Elijah Ngurare of Namibia opens Africa's first integrated green hydrogen plant

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Rt Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Elijah Ngurare of Namibia opens Africa's first integrated green hydrogen plant

Walvis Bay, Namibia - Cleanergy Solutions Namibia proudly marked the official grand opening of its green hydrogen production and refuelling facility by Right Honourable Dr. Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia on behalf of Her Excellency the President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. The event brought together national leaders, European dignitaries, industry stakeholders and the local community to mark a major milestone in Namibia's clean energy journey and its growing role as a logistics and energy hub for Africa.

Powering Namibia with locally produced green hydrogen

The site features a solar-powered, off-grid electrolyser that produces green hydrogen, a refuelling station for hydrogen-powered vehicles and industrial applications, and a Hydrogen Academy to train Namibians in hydrogen technologies. The locally produced green hydrogen is already being applied for road transport (dual fuel trucks), off road applications (dual fuel tractor) and off grid power generation (monofuel hydrogen genset).

Strategic vision and international partnerships

In the keynote speech, the Prime Minister emphasised that the facility is in line with Vision 2030:

"As Head of State, I reaffirm my government's commitment to support initiatives that advance our green hydrogen agenda, create jobs, and secure long-term prosperity for Namibia. My government is committed to continuously improve on the ease of doing business to ensure that projects of this magnitude succeed and multiply. This inauguration is not the end of a journey but the beginning of a new chapter in Namibia's industrial and developmental transformation. Together, we are laying the foundations for an economy that is resilient, inclusive, and sustainable."

The German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, represented by Florian Seitz, Deputy Head of the German Embassy, has contributed to the construction of this hydrogen plant and to ongoing research and training activities on site. The importance of this project for both Namibia and Europe was underlined by the presence of a joint delegation from the European Commission and European Parliament at the opening ceremony. EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela said:

"This innovative European-Namibian project proves that our partnership delivers: it creates new jobs, provides training opportunities for young Namibians, and supports local SMEs. We support the development of Namibia's green hydrogen industry with our Global Gateway strategy The EU has already mobilised €1.3 billion (NAD 25 billion) in loans and grants, spurring over €20 billion (NAD 400 billion) in potential private investments. Together we are building Namibia's green industrialisation."

Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB.TECH, commented:

"Today marks a proud moment for all of us. This facility is the result of true international collaboration- combining Namibian ambition and European innovation. It's a model for sustainable energy and a symbol of strong African-European ties."

Hydrogen-powered locomotive

In 2026, the hydrogen activities will expand into rail and maritime applications. An idle diesel locomotive will be converted to run on hydrogen, boosting Namibia's rail potential and supporting growth at Walvis Bay port.

Hydrogen-powered multi-purpose harbour vessel

Additionally, a multi-purpose harbour vessel powered by dual fuel hydrogen engines is currently being built in the Netherlands and will be deployed in Walvis Bay port later next year. Both applications will be fuelled by the locally produced green hydrogen, distributed via a 500-bar mobile refueller for flexible use across the country.

Building hydrogen expertise in Namibia

A memorable highlight of the event was when Rt Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare refuelled Namibia's first hydrogen bus. This bus serves as a unique learning platform on green hydrogen. It offers educational content and visualises the full value chain.

This initiative reflects Cleanergy's core commitment to knowledge sharing and capacity building, further exemplified by the on-site Hydrogen Academy. Over recent months, the Academy has already delivered a wide range of training programmes on hydrogen technologies, developed in partnership with suppliers, customers, and academic institutions from Namibia and Europe. With full-scale hydrogen production now officially underway, Cleanergy Solutions Namibia is reinforcing the country's continental leadership in green energy and sustainable development, while deepening strategic ties with the European continent.

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