Green hydrogen: Katamelo addresses investors and policymakers in Abu Dhabi
Namibia’s green hydrogen momentum is the result of deliberate, sequenced reforms that created policy certainty and investor confidence, National Assembly deputy speaker Phillipus Katamelo told delegates at the International Renewable Energy Assembly in Abu Dhabi.
Katamelo is attending the 16th session of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, held under the theme “Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity”. About 1 500 participants are attending, including ministers, legislative leaders, senior officials, CEOs, investors and youth representatives from IRENA’s 171 member states.
Responding on Saturday to an assertion that Namibia is a fast-moving market with a clear strategy and emerging green hydrogen leadership, Katamelo said the country’s progress did not arise from a single policy decision.
He said strategic clarity and political anchoring were decisive, with government signalling early that green hydrogen is a national economic pillar embedded in Vision 2030, the Fifth National Development Plan and Namibia’s updated climate commitments. This alignment across planning, energy and industrial policy reduced uncertainty and gave long-term confidence to investors.
Procurement clarity and institutional coordination
Katamelo said institutional coordination and procurement clarity unlocked delivery, following the establishment of a dedicated national green hydrogen programme that created a single entry point for investors.
The programme streamlined decision-making across ministries and clarified how projects move from concept to approval, reducing fragmentation and accelerating timelines.
Private-sector entry and land reforms
He said private-sector entry frameworks were intentionally de-risked through competitive processes, strategic memoranda of understanding and phased project development, rather than ad hoc licensing. This approach balanced public oversight with private innovation while ensuring national value creation.
Land access and permitting reforms also addressed early bottlenecks, with clear processes for accessing state land and defined environmental and social assessment requirements improving predictability for large-scale infrastructure projects.
Risk-sharing at the core
Katamelo said risk-sharing arrangements were embedded from the outset, with government absorbing early-stage coordination and planning risks, while private developers carry construction and operational risk. Engagement with development finance institutions has helped crowd in capital at scale.
“In summary, Namibia’s progress reflects disciplined sequencing: policy certainty first, institutions second, market frameworks third, and risk-sharing throughout,” Katamelo said, adding that the approach demonstrates how a small economy can move quickly when reforms are coherent, credible and politically backed.
The International Renewable Energy Assembly runs from 10 to 12 January 2026, with discussions focusing on regional energy transitions, power-grid modernisation, digital innovation, energy planning and mobilising finance for sustainable aviation fuels and green industrialisation.
Katamelo is attending the 16th session of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, held under the theme “Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity”. About 1 500 participants are attending, including ministers, legislative leaders, senior officials, CEOs, investors and youth representatives from IRENA’s 171 member states.
Responding on Saturday to an assertion that Namibia is a fast-moving market with a clear strategy and emerging green hydrogen leadership, Katamelo said the country’s progress did not arise from a single policy decision.
He said strategic clarity and political anchoring were decisive, with government signalling early that green hydrogen is a national economic pillar embedded in Vision 2030, the Fifth National Development Plan and Namibia’s updated climate commitments. This alignment across planning, energy and industrial policy reduced uncertainty and gave long-term confidence to investors.
Procurement clarity and institutional coordination
Katamelo said institutional coordination and procurement clarity unlocked delivery, following the establishment of a dedicated national green hydrogen programme that created a single entry point for investors.
The programme streamlined decision-making across ministries and clarified how projects move from concept to approval, reducing fragmentation and accelerating timelines.
Private-sector entry and land reforms
He said private-sector entry frameworks were intentionally de-risked through competitive processes, strategic memoranda of understanding and phased project development, rather than ad hoc licensing. This approach balanced public oversight with private innovation while ensuring national value creation.
Land access and permitting reforms also addressed early bottlenecks, with clear processes for accessing state land and defined environmental and social assessment requirements improving predictability for large-scale infrastructure projects.
Risk-sharing at the core
Katamelo said risk-sharing arrangements were embedded from the outset, with government absorbing early-stage coordination and planning risks, while private developers carry construction and operational risk. Engagement with development finance institutions has helped crowd in capital at scale.
“In summary, Namibia’s progress reflects disciplined sequencing: policy certainty first, institutions second, market frameworks third, and risk-sharing throughout,” Katamelo said, adding that the approach demonstrates how a small economy can move quickly when reforms are coherent, credible and politically backed.
The International Renewable Energy Assembly runs from 10 to 12 January 2026, with discussions focusing on regional energy transitions, power-grid modernisation, digital innovation, energy planning and mobilising finance for sustainable aviation fuels and green industrialisation.
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