- President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on African countries to seize the opportunity presented by green hydrogen as a catalyst for industrial transformation, energy security, and inclusive economic growth across the continent.
- Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Africa Green Hydrogen Summit at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town on Thursday, President Ramaphosa positioned the continent as a key player in the emerging global green hydrogen economy.
“Our beloved continent Africa, the cradle of humanity, is uniquely positioned to become a major player in green hydrogen because it has abundant renewable resources manifested in high solar irradiance, strong winds and hydropower potential.
“The vast land our continent has lends itself to large-scale renewable energy projects. We are therefore perfectly placed to leverage the global shift towards cleaner energy sources for our collective advantage,” the President said.
Originally launched in 2022 as a South African initiative to articulate its national vision, the summit has now evolved into a continental platform to harness Africa’s green hydrogen potential. Held under the theme: “Unlocking Africa’s Green Hydrogen Potential for Sustainable Growth”, this innovative summit convenes African energy ministers, policymakers, investors, developers, technology partners, and research institutions to shape the continent’s emerging green hydrogen sector.
President Ramaphosa noted that over 52 large-scale projects have been announced across the continent, including South Africa’s Coega Green Ammonia project, the AMAN project in Mauritania and Project Nour in Morocco.
The target, as articulated through the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA), is to produce 30 to 60 million tons of green hydrogen annually by 2050. It is estimated that this could create between two and four million new jobs in alliance member states by 2050. The Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance brings together a number of African nations, including Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa.
The President acknowledged the critical need for regulatory certainty, robust certification systems, and market access, stressing that investment and offtake agreements would be key to unlocking Africa’s green hydrogen future.
“We cannot close that gap with potential alone. We must match it with demand signals, regulatory certainty and project preparation support. We need to ensure that there is sufficient and growing demand. This includes building domestic demand in African countries,” the President said.
At home, South Africa is accelerating efforts to localise hydrogen production and industrial use. The country has invested R1.49 billion in its Hydrogen South Africa programme, launched new wheeling regulations, and initiated pilot projects, such as green hydrogen mobility in Sasolburg, and advanced planning for the Coega project.
In addition, the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan has been launched to integrate renewable energy and hydrogen into broader industrial development goals.
“We are called upon to join hands to build this bridge together as Africans, as partners and as builders of a green, prosperous and inclusive future,” the President said.
Link to full speech HERE
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
