Cape Town, South Africa, June 12, 2025 — The African Green Hydrogen Summit 2025, held in Cape Town from June 12 to 13, has convened leading stakeholders from across Africa and the globe to accelerate the continent’s journey toward sustainable energy. During the plenary, H.E Commissioner Lerato Mataboge (H.E Lerato, hereafter, underscored the vital importance of adopting comprehensive national green hydrogen policies aligned with the African Green Hydrogen Strategy, developed by the AUC and adopted by the AU Summit earlier in 2025, to unlock Africa’s vast renewable energy potential and position the continent as a global leader in green hydrogen.

In her keynote address, H.E Lerato highlighted Africa’s unique status in the global clean energy landscape, emphasizing that the continent’s abundant solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal resources offer an unprecedented opportunity to spearhead green hydrogen innovation. She stressed, however, that realizing this potential requires immediate and decisive policy action by member states to develop supportive frameworks that foster innovation, attract investment, and promote regional cooperation.

A key highlight of the summit was the continental keynote delivered by H.E Lerato, on June 12, which drew significant attention from international observers and national governments alike. Her address reaffirmed Africa’s strategic role in the future of green energy, aligning with Africa Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions an integrated, prosperous, and climate-resilient Africa.

“The time for dialogue is over. We need urgent, tangible actions to harness green hydrogen’s transformative power—driving economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing climate resilience across Africa,” HE. Lerato declared. “Our collective resolve today will shape Africa’s standing in the global green hydrogen economy of tomorrow.”

Featuring panels, technical discussions, and strategic sessions, the summit explored policy frameworks, technological innovations, investment prospects, and regional partnerships aimed at accelerating green hydrogen development. Participants also highlighted the pressing need to address energy access disparities, noting that approximately 600 million people in Africa still lack electricity, and nearly 900 million rely on traditional biomass for cooking.

Throughout her remarks, the H.E Lerato, emphasized that sustainable energy solutions are central to Africa’s Agenda 2063, and reiterated commitments to flagship initiatives such as the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). These initiatives serve as vital enablers for cross-border energy trade and infrastructure growth, reinforcing the importance of regional cooperation in harnessing hydrogen and other renewable resources.

An enduring outcome of the summit was the collective pledge by participating countries to fast-track the development of national green hydrogen strategies, with continued regional collaboration, technical support from the African Union Commission, and alignment with continental initiatives promoting innovation, inclusivity, and investment mobilization.

The African Green Hydrogen Summit 2025 has thus become a defining milestone—shifting the conversation from aspiration to action, and marking a pivotal step towards delivering universal, sustainable, and inclusive energy access for all Africans. 

For further information, please contact:

1. Ms. Sara Ibrahim Ahmed Elhag | Head of Energy Division | Directorate of Infrastructure and Energy | African Union Commission | E-mail: ElhagS@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2. Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar |Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africanunion.org

For further information, please contact:

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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