Namibia is looking to China as a new investment partner in its push towards renewable energy and green hydrogen.
Previously, Namibia has mainly looked to Germany and other European countries as partners in the development of renewable energy and green hydrogen.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who visited China from 5 to 11 July accompanied by several cabinet ministers and a 200-strong business delegation, appealed for Chinese investments in Namibia’s key sectors including mining, agriculture, renewable energy, logistics and infrastructure, saying the country is positioning itself for a major shift from raw material exports to value addition and industrialisation.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Guangdong Province, one of China’s most advanced economic regions and a hub for innovation, manufacturing and technology, offered valuable lessons and opportunities for cooperation, adding that historical links between the province and Namibia should be strengthened through trade and investment.
The President said China must take advantage of Namibia’s renewable energy potential, citing its abundant sunshine and strong coastal winds, saying the country could become a regional power hub through long-term partnerships and power purchase agreements.
PPA Promise
“With over 300 days of sunshine per year and world-class coastal winds, Namibia can be a renewable energy powerhouse. There are companies here in Guangdong with technology who can partner with us to make use of those resources. Invest now, and you will power not just Namibia, but the entire Southern African grid with long-term, dollar-denominated power purchase agreements that guarantee returns,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She further pointed out that Namibia believes in the important role the private sector can play in the economic development of the country in complementing the work of the Government.
“I am therefore, here to inform the Chinese business people that Namibia is open for trade and investment, and Namibian business people are ready to partner with you in a manner that will help our two countries to meet their development objectives,” said the Head of State.
The President’s sentiments were echoed by the Minister of International Relations and Trade, Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, when she engaged the Chinese business community in Shanghai.
No Pipe Dream
She highlighted Namibia’s strong potential to become a hub for renewable energy production, particularly green hydrogen.
“The world is looking for green hydrogen, and Namibia is looking at the sun. We have some of the highest levels of solar radiation and strongest winds on the planet. Our flagship Tsau //Khaeb Green Hydrogen Project is not a pipe dream; it is a reality that is attracting billions of dollars in investment,” said Ashipala-Musavyi.
She further noted that Namibia’s ambition goes beyond exporting energy.
“We aim not only to export energy, but to plan, develop and export a new paradigm of clean manufacturing, including green ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel and green steel,” she said.
Ashipala-Musavyi said as global supply chains realign, as the world races toward green energy, and as Africa rises as the next frontier of consumption and production, Namibia presents the safest and most strategic location for investors.
“I submit to you that Namibia is not only safe and strategic, but also a friendly and profitable location for your investments. We are not just a country; we are a logistical spine. We are an energy hub. We are a mineral resource hub. And, most importantly, we are a stable democracy in a region that demands predictability, the Minister said.
Ashipala-Musavyi further stated that Shanghai was the hub of the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, which needs lithium, rare earths, and copper to sustain it, and that Namibia holds some of the richest deposits of these critical minerals.
No More ‘Extract and Ship’
“We are moving beyond the ‘extract and ship’ model and we invite our Chinese partners to establish beneficiation and processing plants at the source, in Namibia. You have the capital, the technology, and the manufacturing know-how. Namibia has the resources, the strategic location, and above all, the stable political environment. Together, we can build a model of South-South cooperation that defies the current global economic headwinds,” said Ashipala-Musavyi.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah and her big delegation also visited the China General Nuclear (CGN) Power Corporation in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. CGN is a global leader in clean energy and one of China’s foremost nuclear power companies, playing a key role in the country’s transition to low-carbon energy through innovation, technology, and the generation of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity.
Nandi-Ndaitwah further assured Chinese investors that Namibia’s infrastructure, including modern ports such as Walvis Bay, highways and fibre-optic connectivity, positions the country as a gateway to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) market of more than 300 million consumers.
