President Cyril Ramaphosa says by 2050, green hydrogen production in Africa could reach between 30 and 60 million tons, creating two to four million new jobs across member states of the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance.
Speaking at the inaugural Africa Green Hydrogen Summit on Thursday, Ramaphosa outlined a bold continental vision for harnessing green hydrogen as a driver of industrial transformation, clean energy, and economic development.
“This summit provides a platform for our shared continental ambitions,” he said, highlighting the evolution of the event from a South African initiative in 2022 to a forum now uniting Africa’s green hydrogen ecosystem.
Africa, he noted, is “perfectly placed to leverage the global shift towards cleaner energy sources for our collective advantage,” with abundant solar, wind, and hydropower resources, and vast tracts of land suited for renewable energy projects.
Ramaphosa called green hydrogen a tool to “marry Africa’s mineral riches with our renewable energy endowment to decarbonise heavy industries, to create jobs, to stimulate investment and to unlock inclusive growth across borders.”
The Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance, which includes South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Namibia, has already seen over 52 large-scale projects announced—among them, the Coega Green Ammonia Project in South Africa, AMAN in Mauritania, and Project Nour in Morocco, he said.
He cautioned that success will require more than potential. “We cannot close that gap with potential alone. We must match it with demand signals, regulatory certainty and project preparation support,” he said.
Key to progress, he noted, are regional certification schemes, hydrogen corridors, and green product export platforms.
He praised countries like Mauritania for early leadership in developing certification systems and called for common standards that work for Africa.
Ramaphosa referenced the recently launched Green Hydrogen Report, based on 35 underlying studies, which offers the most comprehensive insight into Africa’s green hydrogen potential to date.
He also pointed to supportive international developments, including the H2Global mechanism, which has opened a new bidding round with one of four lots allocated to Africa—guaranteeing off-take for successful projects through German government funding.
A separate Joint Declaration of Intent with Germany focuses on market access and value addition in products like green steel and fertiliser.
South Africa is advancing fast. “We are not waiting. We are building,” Ramaphosa said.
More than R1.49 billion has been invested in the Hydrogen South Africa programme, and flagship initiatives like the Sasol HySHiFT programme, aimed at producing 400,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel annually, are gaining traction.
The Sasolburg pilot is already producing green hydrogen for domestic use, and the Coega Green Ammonia Project is in advanced planning, he said.
To align with these developments, he said South Africa has launched the Renewable Energy Masterplan, focusing on localising renewable and hydrogen component manufacturing.
Transmission infrastructure upgrades are underway, backed by a new Independent Transmission Projects Office, while wheeling regulations are creating a more favourable environment for private power producers.
Research into the full hydrogen value chain is ongoing, including early exploration for naturally occurring ‘white’ hydrogen in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng.
Ramaphosa acknowledged the challenges. “Green hydrogen production faces a number of challenges. Capital intensity and the high costs of financing are significant barriers.”
He also raised concerns about skewed global investment patterns and projects failing to reach financial close due to perceived risks.
Ramphosa also highlighted the importance of building domestic demand, noting that policy support for green hydrogen in mobility and industrial use will be essential.
He referenced the International Energy Agency’s 2024 report, which trimmed global hydrogen growth forecasts, reflecting a shift from hype to focus.
“Understanding among stakeholders about where the real opportunities for hydrogen lie – and where efforts must be focused – is now much stronger,” Ramaphosa said.
“We must put the African voice at the centre of global energy rule-making. We must be authors of our own future.”
“Hydrogen is a bridge to a new export industry for African countries. It is an enabler for Africa’s energy independence and climate resilience. More importantly, hydrogen is an anchor for industrial transformation and infrastructure investment.”
The Africa Green Hydrogen Summit, he said, must go beyond discussion to drive action and commitments, ensuring Africa leads its own energy future.
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