By: Hee-Dee Walenga
Experts and observers have indicated that localisation of the booming renewable energy is a crucial component to create value for Namibians.
This was highlighted in one of the discussions that took place at the second Global African Hydrogen Summit in Windhoek from 9 to 11 September 2025 during the panel discussion titled ‘Localisation and Just Economy: Accelerating the Global Transition With African Energy Solutions.
The panel consisted of the Mayor of the municipality of Walvis Bay, Trevino Forbes Legal Practitioner & Researcher at the Legal Assistance Center, Chloe Brandt, Research Associate at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Martha Nangolo, and Senior Economic Development Manager for Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, Johannes Shipepe.
Shipepe stated that Hyphen will ensure that local communities are active participants in the project by developing a socioeconomic development framework, which is part of their feasibility implementation agreement with the Namibian government.
“Our framework speaks to how we will engage and bring along all key social stakeholders, business, and how we will support the towns of Luderitz and Aus,” Shipepe stated.
He also revealed that the company has developed a stakeholder engagement strategy that identifies environmental, technical, and social stakeholders to develop a strategy on how and when they will bring them along.
Hyphen has also developed a mechanism for the public and general stakeholders to file grievances for Hyphen to address.
The Walvis Bay Mayor expressed that the local authorities are not treated with the necessary respect, considering that they are a key component of implementing renewable energy initiatives.
“We are the closest form of government to the people. We know the everyday struggles that people face. Namibia and Africa as a whole, we are policy-rich but poor when it comes to implementation,” Forbes expressed.
Forbes noted that more communication and consultation is needed between corporations, local authorities, and the public on what the benefits of the green hydrogen sector are for the general public.
“Localisations means making it about the locals. The real stakeholders are the communities of Namibia,” stated Chloe Brandt of Legal Assistance Center.
She noted that discussions such as the referenced panel discussion rarely include members of the community who are on the ground.
“Prior informed consent needs to be mandated. It needs to be a legislative requirement for anyone who wants to work with resources in Namibia. We currently do not have that,” Brandt lamented.
She reiterated that, currently, the ‘public consultations’ that take place totally exclude the public/locals because there is no legal framework to hold corporations responsible for said exclusion.
Nangolo of the Public Research called on the Green Hydrogen sector to implement the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiatives (EITI) that have been adopted in the Oil & Gas Industry to increase the levels of trust from the public.
“It will be a game changer,” Nangolo stated.
