When French energy entrepreneur Thierry Lepercq, Founder and President of HyDeal Ambition, takes the stage at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2025 Conference and Exhibition in Dakar this December, the discussion will centre on one of the world’s most promising and complex frontiers in clean energy: green hydrogen.
As countries worldwide race to decarbonise, Africa has emerged as a key contender in the global hydrogen economy. With vast solar and wind resources, the continent is ideally positioned to produce this clean fuel at competitive costs. Yet questions remain: can green hydrogen truly solve Africa’s energy problems—or will it become another export commodity serving external markets first?
What is Green Hydrogen—and Why It Matters
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from renewable sources such as solar, wind, or hydropower. Unlike grey or blue hydrogen—derived from fossil fuels—it emits no carbon dioxide during production.
Hydrogen can be stored, transported, and converted into electricity or synthetic fuels, making it a flexible solution for industries where direct electrification is difficult, such as steelmaking, shipping, and fertiliser production. In theory, it offers a path to deep decarbonisation and a bridge between renewable power generation and heavy industry.
However, its production remains capital-intensive. Electrolysers, renewable plants, and transport infrastructure require large investments, and the cost per kilogram is still higher than fossil fuel alternatives. The challenge lies in scaling up to bring costs down while ensuring that production benefits both global and local markets.
Europe’s Success Inspires African Expansion
HyDeal Ambition, a coalition of over 30 companies across the green hydrogen value chain, has already proven its integrated model in Europe through HyDeal España, a 4.8 GW solar and 3.3 GW electrolyser project in Spain. The project aims to deliver green hydrogen at costs competitive with natural gas—a benchmark once considered impossible.
Building on this model, HyDeal Ambition is now expanding into Africa through a partnership with Morocco-based Gaia Energy. Under the HyDeal Africa banner, the initiative focuses initially on Mauritania and Morocco, aiming to develop large-scale, low-cost green hydrogen production for export to Europe.
A joint feasibility study is underway to explore a subsea hydrogen pipeline linking Mauritania and Morocco to Spain—an ambitious step toward creating an integrated hydrogen corridor between Africa and Europe. This directly supports the European Union’s target of importing 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
“HyDeal Ambition’s participation at MSGBC 2025 highlights the growing momentum behind West Africa’s green hydrogen drive,” said Sandra Jeque, Project Director at Energy Capital & Power. “With Mauritania and its neighbours advancing large-scale renewable and hydrogen projects, HyDeal’s integrated model and European experience will provide valuable insights into developing competitive, export-ready hydrogen value chains across the region.”
Mauritania: Africa’s Emerging Hydrogen Powerhouse
Mauritania is fast becoming one of Africa’s most promising hydrogen hubs. Its exceptional wind and solar resources, combined with its coastal geography and proximity to Europe, make it an ideal location for hydrogen export.
The country is already home to some of the continent’s most ambitious renewable projects, including the planned 30 GW Aman, 10 GW Project Nour, and 6.6 GW Megaton Moon developments. Together, they signal Mauritania’s transformation from a traditional energy producer to a leader in green hydrogen production and export.
If successful, the HyDeal Africa model could unlock billions in foreign investment and position West Africa as a cornerstone of the global hydrogen economy. Yet, as with all large-scale ventures, the real test will be whether African countries can ensure domestic value creation, job opportunities, and energy access alongside export growth.
Kenya’s Vision: Green Hydrogen for Industrialisation
Further east, Kenya is positioning itself as a pioneer in green hydrogen within Sub-Saharan Africa. Blessed with vast renewable resources—geothermal, solar, wind, and hydro—Kenya aims to leverage green hydrogen not just for export but also to boost domestic industries.
In 2024, the Government of Kenya, in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the European Union, launched the Kenya Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap. The plan targets an initial 100 MW of electrolysis capacity by 2027, rising to 250 MW by 2032, supported by up to 450 MW of dedicated renewables.
Unlike many export-driven initiatives, Kenya’s focus is inward-looking. The government sees green hydrogen as a way to reduce dependence on imported fertiliser and industrial chemicals—products that consume significant foreign exchange.
“By developing local hydrogen-based fertiliser production, Kenya can enhance food security, reduce imports, and promote sustainable agriculture,” said a recent policy paper by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA).
Green hydrogen could also play a role in clean transport, power storage, and backup generation, complementing the country’s target of achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2030.
Still, experts caution that green hydrogen is unlikely to solve Kenya’s immediate energy challenges—particularly access and affordability. Only about 70 percent of the population has access to electricity, and many rural areas still rely on biomass for cooking. Hydrogen, they note, is a medium- to long-term industrial strategy rather than a short-term household energy solution.
The Promise and the Pitfalls
Across Africa, several countries—including Namibia, Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco—have announced hydrogen projects worth tens of billions of dollars. Analysts predict that Africa could produce green hydrogen at some of the lowest costs globally, potentially below €2 per kilogram by 2050.
The opportunities are immense:
- Export earnings and investment from hydrogen and ammonia sales to Europe and Asia.
- Industrialisation through local value-chain development—fertiliser, steel, transport fuels.
- Job creation in construction, operations, and technology services.
- Decarbonisation of heavy industries and power systems.
However, there are equally significant challenges:
- High infrastructure costs for renewable plants, electrolysers, and export logistics.
- Water scarcity, especially where desalination is required for electrolysis.
- Weak regulatory frameworks and limited experience with hydrogen safety and storage.
- The risk that projects may prioritise exports while domestic access and industries lag behind.
To mitigate these risks, experts call for integrated national policies that align hydrogen projects with local development goals. “Green hydrogen can drive industrialisation and job creation, but only if African governments insist on local value addition rather than raw energy exports,” says Nairobi-based energy analyst Michael Mwangi.
A Balanced Path Forward
For Kenya and Africa, green hydrogen should be viewed as a strategic complement to ongoing renewable and electrification efforts—not a replacement. It can power industrial growth, enhance energy security, and open new export markets, but it must be integrated carefully into national development plans.
Realising this potential will require:
- Robust policy and regulatory frameworks to attract investors.
- Financial de-risking through development banks and public-private partnerships.
- Infrastructure development, including water, grid, and port facilities.
- Local skills training to build a home-grown hydrogen workforce.
- Balanced export and domestic use, ensuring benefits reach citizens.
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