President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged African nations to take ownership of the continent’s green hydrogen development to ensure Africa benefits fully from the global energy transition. Speaking at the inaugural Africa Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town, Ramaphosa emphasized the need for African leadership in setting standards, developing certification systems, and establishing hydrogen corridors to attract investment and boost intra-African trade.
“Africa must take charge of shaping its own green hydrogen agenda,” he said, cautioning that while the potential is significant, challenges such as high capital costs and unequal investment flows persist.
The president underscored the role of the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance, which includes Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, and South Africa. “The alliance’s ambition targets 30 to 60 million tons of green hydrogen production by 2050,” he noted.
Ramaphosa also announced that four new flagship green hydrogen projects are currently being prepared for cabinet approval. These projects will build on existing initiatives, such as the Coega Green Ammonia Project in the Eastern Cape and the Sasolburg pilot project in the Free State, which is already producing green hydrogen for local use.
“Major research is underway in all aspects of the green hydrogen value chain to reduce final costs,” he added. “If white hydrogen is proven commercially extractable, it could become an additional clean energy source—an urgent matter for our continent.”
VOC News
Photo: X/ @PresidencyZA
