Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina: High-Level Engagement at Africa Green Hydrogen Summit 2025

Programme Director.
Ministers of our National Departments,
Minister from the African Continent.
Government Representatives from around the world.
Representatives from national, provincial and local governments.
Heads of Organizations/Institutions.
Chief Executive Officers.
Representatives from the private sector.
Representatives from civil society.
Members of the Media.
Ladies and gentlemen

It gives me great pleasure to be speaking to you on the occasion of the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit 2025. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, for his vision and determination in convening this important Summit, an event that speaks to our shared ambition to position Africa not only as a participant, but as a global leader in the green hydrogen economy.

Africa stands on the brink of a transformative industrial revolution—one not anchored in fossil fuels but powered by renewable energy and fueled by innovation. Green hydrogen presents us not just with a new energy vector but with a strategic opportunity for economic diversification, climate resilience, and industrial leadership. It is our opportunity to leapfrog legacy energy systems and define our own development trajectory.

The South African Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) launched the Cabinet-approved Hydrogen Society Roadmap (HSRM) in February 2022, which is an overarching blueprint document that articulates our country’s aspirations in developing hydrogen economy that is globally competitive for low emissions hydrogen.

The HSRM identified various sectors (including primary industrial sectors) in South Africa that can benefit from the uptake of hydrogen related technologies, and levers that will enable competitive hydrogen production in the country to address the domestic and projected global demand.

Furthermore, the HSRM highlights the potential economic benefits which includes amongst others the export revenue, local manufacturing, job creation, new industry creation, energy security and emissions reduction that could accrue from its successful implementation.

We are already seeing this materialize through the Platinum Valley Initiative, where we are moving from concept to implementation. The Platinum Valley Initiative is the South African version of the Hydrogen Valley, which is one of the initiatives that is expected to spur South Africa’s move towards a hydrogen economy and the implementation of the Hydrogen Society Roadmap.

Following the successful publication of the feasibility study, identifying nine catalytic projects in the mobility, industry, and building sectors, we have also demonstrated large-scale applications, such as the hydrogen-powered mining truck at Mogalakwena Mine.

Building on this momentum, we are supporting Project Rhynbow, which aims to catalyze the scale-up of South Africa’s green hydrogen economy through mobility applications, shared hydrogen infrastructure, and the development of PGM-based hydrogen value-added components manufacturing hubs. These efforts reflect a clear strategic shift, from research to impact. From knowledge production to market participation. From potential to performance.

On today's session titled: Banking on African Hydrogen in order to Advance Locally Developed Hydrogen Technology IP for Continental Growth. It is important to reflect on how home-grown innovation in the African continent can play a critical role in advancing the global hydrogen market.

For example, through the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Programme, we have a growing portfolio of intellectual property (IP), technologies, and know-how across the hydrogen value chain.

As South Africa and Africa more broadly seek to drive inclusive industrialisation, job creation, and energy access, there is an urgent need to convert hydrogen RDI outputs into bankable ventures and scalable deployment projects. Through the HySA Programme, we have demonstrated our ability to innovate, design, and build hydrogen technologies fit for both local and global markets.

A critical focus now is the commercialization of this IP, ensuring that public investments in RDI translate into real economic and industrial outcomes. This includes:

• Local manufacturing components developed from publicly funded IP, particularly those stemming from the HySA Centres. We believe in building our own manufacturing capabilities around high-value technologies rather than exporting raw materials or know-how.
• Smart inbound technology transfer, where partnerships with global original equipment manufacturers are premised on integrating South African-developed technologies into their commercial offerings. This also includes co-development where synergies exist and importing technologies in areas where we do not yet have local capacity.

To realise the full socio-economic potential of the green hydrogen economy, Africa must convert its IP into viable commercial ventures. This requires creating bankable business cases that demonstrate clear value propositions, market demand, scalability, and return on investment. It also calls for strategic partnerships across industry, finance, and government.

In this regard, I would like to thank the panel for coming to share their expertise on building bankable cases and how we can bridge the gap between RDI and commercialization.

Thank you

#GovZAUpdates