Namibian Vice President Lucia Witbooi today officially launched the REALTEST Green Hydrogen Research Project at the University of Namibia (UNAM) Main Campus in Windhoek, describing the initiative as an important step towards building a science-, innovation- and technology-driven industrial economy.
Speaking at the launch on 10 August 2026, Witbooi said the project goes beyond the establishment of another research programme, signalling Namibia’s determination to strengthen its scientific capabilities and industrial competitiveness.
She expressed government’s appreciation to the Government of Germany, the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, SASSCAL, Projektträger Jülich, UNAM and other implementing partners for their continued investment in Namibia’s scientific and technological development.
Witbooi said Namibia’s abundant renewable energy resources give the country a strong foundation to become a competitive producer of green hydrogen and green ammonia. However, she stressed that Namibia’s ambition must extend beyond exporting green energy products.
“Our ambition is to build an industrial economy, create more prosperous and resilient communities, develop knowledge-intensive industries and ensure that Namibians become the scientists, engineers, innovators, entrepreneurs and industrial leaders who will own, shape and drive this transformation,” she said.
According to the Vice President, true industrialisation depends on a country’s ability to develop its own scientific expertise, technological capabilities and human capital.
She said the REALTEST Project will strengthen Namibia’s capacity in areas including advanced research, hydrogen safety, materials testing, engineering innovation and scientific excellence.
These capabilities, she noted, are essential for Namibia to participate across the green hydrogen value chain, from research and design to materials development, manufacturing, production, operation and maintenance.
Witbooi linked the project to Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) and the country’s long-term Vision 2030 aspirations of creating a prosperous, industrialised and knowledge-based economy.
She called on UNAM to strengthen its role as a centre for scientific discovery, technological advancement and applied research, urging the university to transform research findings and inventions into practical industrial applications, enterprises and home-grown innovations.
The Vice President also welcomed the further development of UNAM’s Institute for Applied Advanced Research (IAAR), saying institutions of this nature are vital to building a competitive and technologically capable Namibia.
She said the country should strive to create an environment where “ideas become inventions, inventions become innovations, and innovations become technologies, enterprises and industries.”
Witbooi placed particular emphasis on investment in young Namibians, saying today’s laboratories, researchers and doctoral students could become the industrial capabilities, innovators and leaders of tomorrow.
She concluded by emphasising that Namibia’s future prosperity should be measured not only by its natural resources, but also by the knowledge and capabilities of its people. “Let us therefore invest as boldly in our scientists as we do in our natural resources,” she said.
Witbooi subsequently declared the REALTEST Project officially launched, marking a new chapter in Namibia’s efforts to develop local expertise and research capacity in green hydrogen and advanced industrial technologies.
By Rudi Bowe
