Hyphen Hydrogen Energy plans to channel about N$54 billion into Namibian businesses as part of its flagship green hydrogen project, underscoring a 30% local procurement commitment.
The commitment is based on a project value exceeding US$10 billion and is expected to shape local participation across engineering, construction, logistics and operations as activity accelerates in the Tsau //Khaeb National Park.
Senior Manager Johannes Shipepe said the scale of the project requires structured intervention to prepare Namibian companies for participation in a complex, capital-intensive energy value chain.
“We have committed to spend about 30% of our investment on local companies, which translates to roughly US$3 billion, or about N$54 billion flowing into the Namibian economy. This requires us to identify capable suppliers and support them to meet project standards,” he said.
Hyphen has launched an Enterprise and Supplier Development programme to build a pipeline of local contractors able to meet technical, commercial and compliance requirements associated with large-scale hydrogen infrastructure.
More than 400 companies have already been assessed to determine their readiness and potential role across the hydrogen value chain, including upstream infrastructure, processing facilities and associated utilities.
The programme focuses on improving tendering capability, certification, technical compliance and access to finance, while facilitating partnerships with experienced international contractors.
“The objective is to ensure Namibian companies can participate across the full value chain, including more specialised scopes of work linked to hydrogen production, storage and export infrastructure,” Shipepe said.
Chief Executive Officer Marco Raffinetti said localisation is central to the project’s long-term industrial impact, particularly in building domestic supply chains linked to renewable energy and hydrogen production.
“We made a commitment to the Government of Namibia to drive local content. This is about building industrial capacity, skills and supply chains that will support not only this project but future hydrogen developments,” he said.
The Hyphen project remains in the feasibility stage, with a final investment decision targeted for 2026. Phase one is expected to deliver one million tonnes of green ammonia annually by 2028, scaling to two million tonnes by 2030.
The development is also expected to add new power and water infrastructure to support hydrogen production, while positioning Namibia as a competitive exporter in the emerging global green fuels market.
