Green hydrogen marches on with top appointments

The sad passing of Namibian green hydrogen’s ideological father, president Hage Geingob, will not hinder the project’s progress – with seven executives appointed last month to spearhead its continued advancement.The seven, who started their new jobs on 1 February, were brought on board to bring "a wealth of experience to oversee ambitious programme initiatives", green hydrogen commissioner James Mnyupe announced yesterday.They are David Nghimwenavali (executive assistant to Mnyupe), Joseph Mukwenda (head of policy, planning and strategy), Eline van der Linden (head of impact environmental, social and governance), Nikol Anuschka Hearn (head of transactions), Theopolina Kapani (head of technical and construction), Roswitha Gomachas (head of legal) and Nerago Ndoroma-Ndeitunga (head of programme management).Strategic stepsIn December 2023, Mnyupe announced that the Namibian Green Hydrogen Programme had appointed an executive team of seven individuals but did not reveal their names at the time.Yesterday, he revealed that a collaboration with the ministry of industrialisation has birthed the green industrialisation blueprint, which will be presented this month.It outlines key infrastructure developments and novel industrial clusters, Mnyupe said.“If endorsed, the blueprint will be released to the public, showcasing Namibia&#039;s potential as a hub for clean manufacturing, diversified exports and increased employment opportunities,” he said.Comprehensive plan Mnyupe also stated that Namibia will launch a market-sounding exercise to gauge interest in new projects.“Namibia is set to launch a market-sounding exercise by the end of the second quarter of 2024. This strategic initiative aims to gauge investor interest in developing assets crucial for cost-effective production in the envisioned green hydrogen valleys. The initiative aligns with the recent announcement of Special Economic Zones in the 2024 budget speech by finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi,” he said. “The Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme is committed to commissioning a comprehensive strategic environmental and social assessment (SESA) for the three envisioned green hydrogen valleys in Namibia. Scheduled for the second quarter of 2024, Quarter 2-2024, the SESA will span 12 to 18 months, scrutinising environmental and social implications and ensuring a sustainable approach to the programme,” he added.Geingob championed the idea of transforming Namibia into a synthetic energy hub, a vision that has garnered significant attention, particularly within Europe. His last significant input to the project came in October 2023, when he accepted the European Union’s (EU) pledge for a significant N$20 billion investment in Namibia’s green hydrogen and raw materials sector.While the details of the pact remain sketchy, the partnership broadly lies between the promotion of sustainable development through energy access and economic development in Namibia and the EU’s desire for decarbonised energy security and technology leadership.

Green hydrogen marches on with top appointments

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-24

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Green hydrogen marches on with top appointments

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-24

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