Prof. Nelago Indongo, Executive Director of SASSCAL, and Prof. Dr. Kenneth Kamwi Matengu, Vice Chancellor of UNAM
Recently, the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), as the implementer of the Namibia–Germany Joint Communiqué of Intent (JCoI), signed a Funding and Cooperation Agreement with the University of Namibia (UNAM) – Namibia Green Hydrogen Research Institute (NGHRI). The agreement formalises collaboration on the Safety, Reliability and Sustainability Research and Testing for Green Hydrogen Technologies (RealTest) Project.
This landmark partnership will establish Africa’s first facility dedicated to testing the safety, reliability, and sustainability of green hydrogen technologies. It is a strategic step to position Namibia at the global cutting edge of green hydrogen research while contributing to the country’s industrialisation and skills development agenda.
The initiative is supported with a total funding of EUR 2.5 million (approximately N$51 million) from the German Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The funding will enable targeted research, capacity building, and technology testing.
Project Objectives
The RealTest Project will:
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Advance research and testing in Namibia to support the development and upscaling of Green Hydrogen Technologies (GH2T).
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Position Namibia as a leader in safety, reliability, and sustainability research and know-how for GH2T.
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Support Namibia’s industrialisation process through GH2T, as outlined in the Namibia–Germany JCoI.
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Create job and training opportunities for Namibians, including graduates of the Youth for Green Hydrogen (Y4H2) scholarship programme.
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Strengthen Namibia’s scientific infrastructure while linking to German and European hydrogen import strategies.
Signing of the Agreement
The agreement was signed in Windhoek by Prof. Nelago Indongo, Executive Director of SASSCAL, and Prof. Dr. Kenneth Kamwi Matengu, Vice Chancellor of UNAM. Both parties acknowledged the support of the German Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) in funding this important initiative under the Namibia–Germany Joint Communiqué of Intent (JCoI).
Prof. Nelago Indongo (SASSCAL) and Prof. Dr. Kenneth Kamwi Matengu (UNAM) during the signing ceremony of the Funding and Cooperation Agreement for the RealTest Project, Windhoek, August 2025.
This collaboration is expected to not only enhance Namibia’s research capacity but also deliver tangible benefits in terms of safety standards, industrial readiness, and youth skills development in the green hydrogen sector.
Group photo of representatives from SASSCAL and UNAM at the signing ceremony
