Hyphen Hydrogen Energy has secured a prospective US$5.93 million (about N$106 million) reimbursable grant from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) to advance the development of its green hydrogen project in southern Namibia towards a final investment decision (FID).
The funding, provided under the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa’s Africa Green Hydrogen Programme, will support project development activities leading up to FID.
The latest grant follows a US$10 million reimbursable grant awarded to Hyphen in December 2025, increasing development funding support for the project.
Hyphen was one of four projects selected under the Africa Green Hydrogen Programme following a call for proposals that attracted 81 submissions from 18 African countries. The company said its allocation was the largest among the selected projects.
The planned project is expected to comprise about seven gigawatts of renewable energy generation capacity and three gigawatts of electrolyser capacity at full scale.
Hyphen is targeting production of two million tonnes of green ammonia annually for regional and international markets, including sustainable fuels for the shipping and aviation sectors.
The company aims to reach FID for the first phase, which will have annual production capacity of one million tonnes, by the end of 2027.
“Hyphen is delighted to have been selected under the African Development Bank’s Africa Green Hydrogen Programme. This selection is a major endorsement of our project’s quality, rigour and advanced maturity,” Hyphen Chief Executive Officer Marco Raffinetti said.
According to Hyphen, construction could create up to 15,000 jobs, while the completed project could support about 3,000 permanent operational positions. The company is targeting 90% Namibian employment, with 20% of jobs reserved for young people.
AfDB Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Daniel Schroth said the programme was designed to move high-potential African green hydrogen projects closer to investment readiness.
“Africa’s exceptional renewable energy resources give the continent a unique opportunity to become a competitive player in the emerging global green hydrogen and derivatives market,” Schroth said.
Hyphen estimates that the project could avoid between five million and six million tonnes of carbon emissions annually once fully developed.
