Justicia Shipena
Agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform minister Inge Zaamwani says the Hyphen Green Hydrogen Project could open new opportunities for agriculture, including a green scheme in Aus supported by desalinated water.
She spoke on Sunday during a site visit to the Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project near Lüderitz.
“As a minister responsible for agriculture, water, fishery, and land reform, I’m also seeing opportunities, especially when they talk about the desalination plant. With that desalination coming so close to Aus, and we know Aus is already a water-stressed farming community, I’m seeing a solution of us piping the water down to Aus,” she said.
She said this could support farming in the area.
“Once we get the water out to Aus, then we can also develop potentially a green scheme there and around ours, and we can also support our farming communities that are around that area,” she said.
Zaamwani said the project will also affect the wider economy.
“I also look beyond just the agriculture and water supply issue. I’m looking at the impact on the economy; this project has a huge impact on our GDP,” she said.
She said the scale of the project will require changes across sectors.
“It will therefore mean that we have to adjust everything that we do in order to accommodate the skills that are required, to accommodate the suppliers of goods and services that will be required for this project,” she said.
Zaamwani said the visit helped leaders understand the scale of the project. She said developers expect to complete data collection soon.
“They are telling us also that by June of this year, they should have collected enough data for them now to go to the next phase of the designs and development,” she said.
Zaamwani said the project will have an impact beyond Lüderitz.
“But overall, what this project does in terms of the multiplier effects on the economy is far beyond the local economy of Lüderitz,” she said.
She pointed to the desalination plant as a possible solution for water shortages.
In 2024, Hyphen chief executive Marco Raffinetti said the project will include a desalination plant powered by renewable energy.
At that time, he said temporary desalination facilities will be used during construction to supply water for up to 15 000 workers.
During the same visit, vice president Lucia Witbooi urged young people and businesses to take part in the project.
“I strongly encourage the youth of this region and beyond, the local businesses – large and small – to engage Hyphen, participate and take advantage of these opportunities which have come to support the growth of local businesses,” she said.
She said the project is key to Namibia’s energy plans.
“This project represents a key pillar of our national energy strategy and a commitment to improving the lives of Namibian people through economic development, contributing to the achievement of clean energy,” she said.
She said the project shows progress from earlier plans.
“Some years ago, when the government began exploring the potential of green hydrogen in this region, it was regarded as ambitious. Today, having witnessed the site’s progress, it proves that we have turned that ambition into reality,” she said.
“This coastline, once seen as remote, is now at the centre of a global opportunity,” she said.
Witbooi said Namibia is entering a new phase of growth.
“Namibia stands today at the threshold of a new economic frontier. Our green hydrogen strategy is not an abstract policy – it is a national pathway to job creation, economic diversification and inclusive economic growth,” she said.
She said the project is supported by the government and partners.
“The progress I witnessed today during the site visits is a testament to the collaborative spirit and good working relationships between all the stakeholders involved,” she said.
She said development must remain responsible. She said the project should benefit people directly.
“The success of this project will ultimately be measured not only in megawatts or export volumes, but in the lives it changes. This project is designed with the local community in mind, aimed at creating job opportunities, supporting local small and medium entreprises and cultivating a workforce ready for the new green economy,” she said.
Meanwhile, agreements have been signed to support local communities. Memoranda of understanding (MoUs) have been concluded between Hyphen and the regional councils of //Kharas and Hardap.
Hyphen is also building a database of local businesses.
The Hyphen project is being developed as a partnership between government and private investors, with Namibia holding a 24% stake through SDG Namibia One.
At full scale, the project is expected to produce about two million tonnes of green ammonia each year using renewable energy.
It is also expected to reduce carbon emissions and support long-term economic growth.
