Hyphen Hydrogen Energy Senior Manager Johannes Shipepe said the programme is designed to address capacity constraints among local companies as green hydrogen projects move closer to construction.
He said the initiative is funded through a €300,000 grant, matched on a 50:50 basis to bring the total to about €600,000, or roughly N$11 million. The funding will be used to implement an Enterprise and Supplier Development programme aimed at increasing local participation in large-scale energy projects.
More than 400 companies have already been assessed to determine their readiness, operational challenges and potential role in supplying goods and services to the sector.
“Through this programme, we are developing mechanisms to support Namibian companies with capacity building, technical support and access to suitable financial products so that they can deliver on project requirements. The aim is to ensure these companies move beyond basic services and are able to participate in larger and more specialised opportunities across the value chain,” Shipepe said.
The programme will focus on strengthening key areas such as tendering capacity, compliance requirements and certification standards, while also facilitating partnerships with experienced technical and financial partners.
Shipepe said collaboration with banks, industry players and government will be critical to reducing risk and improving access to finance for local firms.
“We are now moving into a more detailed phase where we assess specific supply chains, identify requirements and evaluate whether local companies are ready to meet those standards,” he said.
The initiative is being implemented under the H2UPPP programme, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy.
GIZ Country Director Tobias Gerster said the programme aims to support economic diversification and strengthen long-term cooperation in renewable energy.
National Planning Commission Executive Director I-Ben Nashandi said the intervention aligns with Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan, which identifies green hydrogen as a key driver of industrialisation and economic transformation.
