VP visits hyphen green hydrogen project
Hyphen Hydrogen Energy (Hyphen) on Sunday had the distinct pleasure of hosting the Vice President of the Republic of Namibia, Her Excellency, Lucia Witbooi for an official site visit to the Hyphen green hydrogen project in Lüderitz, including engagements at the Hyphen office, Angra Point, and the concession area located in the Tsau ||Khaeb.
The visit provided a comprehensive, on-the-ground view of Namibia’s flagship green hydrogen development and its central role in advancing Namibia’s long-term economic transformation and green industrialisation objectives. Her Excellency was joined by senior Government representatives, including the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries Water and Land Reform Honourable Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, Deputy Minister Gaudentia Krohne of the Ministry and Industrialization, Mines and Energy, the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Susan Ndjeleka, Governor of the ||Kharas Region, Goab Dawid Gertze, the Mayor of Lüderitz, Her Worship Brigitta Fredericks, and regional and local leadership.
The programme included a site visit to Angra Point, the location is for critical new port infrastructure to enable the export of green hydrogen derivatives, and the Tsau ||Khaeb concession area, where Hyphen is advancing the development of the project under the concession agreement concluded by the Government with Hyphen in June 2023. The project's implementation is structured as a public-private partnership, with the Government holding a strategic 24% interest, underscoring the Namibian people's direct participation, oversight, and shared commitment to the project's success.
In her remarks, the Vice President reaffirmed Government’s unequivocal position: “The Government of the Republic of Namibia fully supports the development of the green hydrogen sector, and the Hyphen project as the flagship project and strategic catalyst within the sector.”
Her Excellency further emphasized that a project of this national importance is being advanced through transparent and structured processes aligned with Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6). Positioning the initiative within a broader national context, Her Excellency noted that Namibia stands at the threshold of a new economic frontier, with the green hydrogen sector offering a deliberate pathway to job creation, inclusive growth, and sustainable economic diversification, including much need economic development in the south.
The Vice President also underscored Namibia’s commitment to responsible development, highlighting that economic progress must be pursued in a manner that safeguards both environmental integrity and cultural heritage, and that these objectives are not mutually exclusive. A central focus of the visit was ensuring meaningful participation by Namibians. The Vice President highlighted ongoing efforts in skills development, enterprise and supplier development, and local content participation as key mechanisms to ensure that the benefits of the sector are broadly shared. She encouraged Namibian businesses to actively engage with Hyphen, noting Hyphen’s efforts to develop a comprehensive database of Namibian suppliers and to support the growth of domestic enterprises.
Her Excellency further called for alignment across Government, regional leadership, traditional authorities, and communities, emphasizing that the success of the green hydrogen sector will depend on coordinated national effort and shared commitment. Marco Raffinetti, Chief Executive Officer of Hyphen, commented: “We are honoured to have the opportunity to hose Her Excellency the Vice President, senior Government and regional and local leadership at the project site. This visit reinforces the strength of our partnership with the Government and our shared commitment to delivering a project that is transformative for Namibia and its people.”
The visit concluded with a clear message: Namibia’s green hydrogen programme represents a defining national opportunity, one that requires unity, clarity of purpose, and sustained collaboration to fully realize its potential.
