Namibia has been praised at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi for the rapid growth of its green hydrogen sector, with international stakeholders describing the country as a fast-moving market underpinned by clear strategy, political backing and emerging leadership in green hydrogen development.
Speaking at the assembly, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Phillipus Katamelo said Namibia’s momentum was the result of deliberate and aligned reforms, rather than a single policy intervention.
“It may look like a success story, but it did not come from one single policy. It came from deliberate reforms that were aligned, and those reforms provided clarity, investor confidence and credibility in what we wanted to achieve as a country,” Katamelo said.
He said a key driver of progress was clear strategic intent anchored at the highest political level, with green hydrogen identified early as a priority economic sector and embedded in Vision 2030, national development plans and Namibia’s climate commitments.
Katamelo said institutional coordination and procurement clarity also played a central role. Namibia established a single entry point for green hydrogen investors, simplifying engagement across government and providing a defined pathway for projects to move from concept to implementation.
“This alignment resulted in reduced policy uncertainty and strengthened long-term confidence within the market,” he said.
He added that early reforms to land access and permitting helped remove bottlenecks that typically delay large-scale infrastructure projects. Clear processes for accessing state land, together with predefined environmental and social assessment requirements, improved predictability for investors from the outset.
Katamelo said risk-sharing arrangements were deliberately built into the framework, with government absorbing early-stage planning, coordination and institutional risks, while private developers took on construction and operational risks.
“There was a clearly defined allocation of risk and roles between government and investors, which helped accelerate processes and improve delivery timelines. These interventions are what have produced the progress we are seeing today,” he said.
Discussions at the IRENA Assembly focused on regional energy transitions, power grid modernisation, energy planning, digital innovation and mobilising finance for sustainable aviation fuels and green industrialisation, with Namibia cited as an example of how coordinated policy and institutional reform can accelerate clean energy development.
