Namibia’s push into green hydrogen is emerging as one of its most defining industrial bets, with industry experts arguing that the country’s long-term economic transformation will hinge on how well it builds local capacity in this fast-growing sector.
According to Julien Karambua, Country Manager at Workforce Staffing Namibia, the global shift toward cleaner energy has placed Namibia in a uniquely competitive position. Its exceptional solar and wind resources, among the strongest on the continent, combined with rising international demand for green hydrogen, give the country a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reposition its industrial base.
Karambua notes that securing major international Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts will not be enough. The sustainability and profitability of Namibia’s green hydrogen ecosystem will depend on developing a skilled domestic workforce capable of supporting large-scale projects across engineering, operations, logistics, safety, and environmental management.
The potential ripple effects are broad. Strong local participation could stimulate the manufacturing sector, support the growth of renewable energy infrastructure, attract downstream industries such as green ammonia and specialty chemicals, and boost Namibia’s export competitiveness. Conversely, weak local capability could leave the country overly dependent on foreign expertise, limiting value retention and slowing long-term industrialisation.
Government and private-sector partnerships are increasingly seen as central to addressing this skills gap. Training pipelines, vocational upskilling, and technical development programmes are expected to determine how deeply Namibia can integrate local talent into the emerging hydrogen economy.
As global competition intensifies, especially with North African and Middle Eastern producers racing to dominate the export market, Namibia’s ability to localise skills and services may become the decisive factor separating long-term industrial strength from missed opportunity.
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