De-risking reforms position Namibia as an emerging green hydrogen leader  

Namibia’s rapid progress in green hydrogen development is the result of deliberate de-risking reforms that have created clarity, credibility, and investor confidence, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Phillipus Katamelo, said over the weekend.

Katamelo was speaking at 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.”

Responding to conference members’ questions about why Namibia is viewed as a fast-moving green hydrogen market with strong political backing, Katamelo explained that Namibia’s momentum did not come from a single policy shift but from a sequence of coordinated reforms.

He said strategic clarity and political anchoring were the first building blocks, with green hydrogen embedded in Vision 2030, the Fifth National Development Plan and Namibia’s climate commitments, reducing uncertainty for investors.

This was followed by institutional coordination and procurement clarity through the establishment of a national green hydrogen programme, creating a single-entry point for investors and streamlining approvals.

Katamelo added that private-sector entry frameworks were intentionally de-risked through competitive processes, strategic partnerships, and phased project development, while land access and permitting reforms improved predictability for large-scale investments.

Crucially, risk-sharing arrangements ensured the government absorbed early planning risks, while developers took on construction and operational risks, helping mobilise large-scale capital.

“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 model demonstrates how a small economy can move quickly when reforms are coherent and politically supported.

The high-level gathering brought together about 1 500 participants, including ministers, legislators, senior government officials, CEO’s, investors, and youth representatives from the International Renewable Energy Agency’s 171 member states.