Namibia’s green hydrogen ambitions are expanding rapidly, but a shortage of qualified workers threatens to stall progress. Government projections anticipate producing between 10 and 15 million tonnes of hydrogen equivalent annually by 2050, with intermediate targets of 1–2 million tonnes by 2030 and 5–7 million tonnes by 2040.
These figures place Namibia among the most ambitious emerging producers globally. Yet experts warn the country could face a talent gap of as many as 130,000 workers by 2040 unless investments in education and vocational training are scaled up dramatically.
The magnitude of the shortfall becomes clear when comparing current capacity with expected demand. Studies supporting Namibia’s Green Hydrogen and Derivatives Strategy suggest the sector may employ only 35,000 to 40,000 people by 2030—roughly 25,000 to 30,000 in unskilled positions, 5,000 to 10,000 in low-skilled jobs, and another 5,000 to 10,000 in skilled roles. Even under optimistic assumptions, this would leave up to 60,000 positions unfilled by the end of the decade, with the gap widening toward 120,000 or more by 2040 if no additional measures are introduced.
Demographics complicate the picture further. A recent skills census conducted by Hyphen Hydrogen Energy found that two-thirds of respondents were men, suggesting women remain underrepresented in the emerging workforce. Without gender-focused outreach and support, new hydrogen projects risk perpetuating existing inequalities rather than correcting them. Geography also matters: most training opportunities are concentrated in urban areas such as Windhoek and Lüderitz, leaving rural communities at risk of exclusion despite being close to proposed project sites.
Although Namibia’s hydrogen industry is still in its infancy, its job-creation potential is already visible. Roughly 800 direct jobs have been created since 2021, supported by investment commitments of more than N$3.5 billion (US$200–250 million). Projections suggest the sector could generate 30,000 direct, indirect and induced positions by 2030, but only if workforce planning keeps pace with capital expenditure. The speed at which large projects such as Hyphen, Zhero and the Daures Green Hydrogen Village are moving from design to construction raises concerns that the supply of skilled labour may not be ready when operations begin.
Training capacity remains the most immediate bottleneck. Namibia’s technical and vocational institutions are only beginning to align their curricula with hydrogen-related skills such as electrolysis, green ammonia production, and derivative chemical processing. The Namibia University of Science and Technology has launched a southern campus in Lüderitz to focus on green hydrogen, oil and gas, while the Namibia Energy Institute is positioning itself as a national hub for research and training in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies. Still, scale is an issue: current facilities cannot meet the forecasted demand for technicians, engineers, safety specialists and process operators.
The €2 million Ignite GH2 initiative, launched in partnership with Germany, aims to narrow this gap. The programme will train trainers, modernise vocational syllabi, and create pathways from technical and vocational education into higher education. Its first phase is expected to reach more than 700 unemployed young people over two years, with a strong focus on youth and women. By embedding applied research and industry-aligned instruction, the initiative hopes to create a workforce that can design, build and maintain hydrogen projects rather than merely operate imported systems.
Despite these efforts, analysts argue that Namibia will need to widen its approach. Partnerships with international technical institutes could accelerate the transfer of specialised expertise, particularly in areas like electrolyser manufacturing, hydrogen safety and derivative chemicals. Expanding the physical capacity of vocational training centres and resourcing laboratories with modern equipment will be critical to ensure quality and retention. Incentives aimed at drawing in underrepresented groups—scholarships for women, stipends for rural trainees, and support for housing and transport—may help to spread opportunity across demographic lines.
Retention presents another challenge. High-skilled workers in hydrogen engineering and safety may be tempted by better offers abroad, especially as demand for these skills grows globally. Domestic content requirements and local hiring clauses can help, but they must be balanced with measures to ensure quality and competitiveness. Equally important is the development of a feedback mechanism, such as regular job-demand surveys, to recalibrate training programmes as the sector evolves.
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