National Green Hydrogen Roadshows visit Omusati and Oshana

The National Green Hydrogen Roadshow – organised by the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) and Hyphen – visited the northern regions of Omusati and Oshana in April.

The roadshows on April 11 and 12 were led by Hon. Obeth Mbui Kandjoze, Director General of the National Planning Commission and Chairperson of the Green Hydrogen Council. The regional governors Erginus Endjala, Governor of the Omusati region, and Elia Irimari, Governor of the Oshana region hosted the engagements.

There were also meetings with businesses, civil society and community groups, and youth in the northern region, sharing information on the Hyphen project and the Socio-economic Development (SED) Framework. Both sessions in the regions were well-attended.

The SED Framework, designed to ensure the project’s benefits are shared with the local community, will provide opportunities for local businesses, create jobs and support local infrastructure development. Hyphen and GRN are keen to understand more about concerns and questions stakeholders have by having an open and transparent conversation about the project, and its timelines and goals.

The Hyphen project is the first step in implementing GRN’s strategy to establish a large-scale green hydrogen industry in Namibia to support the country’s economic growth. The total investment of US$10 billion – roughly the equivalent of Namibia’s annual GDP – will help transform Namibia. The project is estimated to create up to 15,000 new jobs during the construction phase and 3,000 permanent jobs during its operation, with a target for around 90 per cent of these jobs to be filled by Namibians. Hyphen is also targeting 30 per cent local procurement for goods, services and materials throughout the construction and operational phases.

The roadshow is making more stops across the regions in the coming weeks and months to inform and engage with stakeholders on the Hyphen project.

From left to right: Ambassador Lineekela Mboti, Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism, Hon. Obeth Mbui Kandjoze, Director General of the National Planning Commission and Chairperson of the Green Hydrogen Council, His Worship Rev. Taarah Shalyefu, Mayor of Ongwediva, and Toni Beukes, Hyphen’s Head of ESG