Deputy Minister Gina champions African innovation at green hydrogen summit
On 12 June 2025 the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Nomalungelo Gina, led a high-level engagement at the G20-aligned 2025 African Green Hydrogen Summit hosted in Cape Town.
The two-day summit, which was convened by the Department of Electricity and Energy, focused on Africa's strategic role in shaping the global green hydrogen economy.
Ms Gina highlighted South Africa's innovation-driven approach to green hydrogen development through its Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) programme and the implementation of the Cabinet-approved Hydrogen Society Roadmap.
"Africa stands on the brink of a transformative industrial revolution – not one anchored in fossil fuels but powered by renewable energy and fueled by innovation," said Ms Gina during her keynote speech. "Green hydrogen presents us not just with a new energy vector but also with a strategic opportunity for economic diversification, climate resilience, and industrial leadership."
The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) showcased its capabilities at the summit, particularly through the HySA Centres of Competence and HySA infrastructure, which are spearheading the development of intellectual property (IP), technologies, and human capital across the hydrogen value chain. A key milestone includes the development of an electrolyser, which produces green hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, in partnership with Sasol. This project was designed as part of Sasol's green strategy and is a testbed for scaling HySA's innovations for industrial applications.
Also displayed at the summit were a HySA-developed hydrogen fuel-cell forklift, launched in 2016 with Impala Platinum, as well as a scooter with hydrogen fuel-cell range extenders.
Addressing the summit on 12 June 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised using South Africa's G20 Presidency, as well as its participation in the upcoming G7 meeting, to call for the prioritisation of just energy transitions towards economic and social development.
President Ramaphosa said South Africa has so far invested over R1,5 billion in the HySA programme, supporting projects such as Sasol's high-shift programme, which aims to produce up to 400 000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel annually, in partnership with the European Union. The programme directly supports African green industrialisation as well as European energy transition goals.
Following the opening session, Deputy Minister Gina facilitated the DSTI's flagship panel discussion titled "Banking on African hydrogen: Advancing locally developed hydrogen technology IP for continental growth".
The session brought together a diverse and esteemed panel of experts across government, research, finance and industry, including Prof. Ken-Ichi Aika of the Green Ammonia Research Centre in Japan, Ms Mpumi Mpofu, CEO of Airports Company South Africa CEO, Ms Fahmida Smith, Principal: Market Development at Anglo American, and Dr Titus Mathe, CEO of the South African National Energy Development Institute.
The session focused on unlocking the commercial potential of home-grown hydrogen innovations to bridge the gap between research and industrial application. Deputy Minister Gina stressed the urgency of translating public investment in research, development and innovation into "bankable ventures and scalable deployment projects", especially in the context of inclusive industrialisation and energy access.
She also called for the local manufacturing of high-value hydrogen components based on publicly funded IP; smart inbound technology transfer, which leverages global partnerships to scale South African-developed technologies; and strategic public-private co-investment to enable market readiness and international competitiveness.
"We must move from knowledge production to market participation – from potential to performance," said Ms Gina.
"To realise the full socio-economic potential of the green hydrogen economy, Africa must convert its IP into viable commercial ventures. This means demonstrating clear value propositions, demand readiness, and sustainable returns on investment.
South Africa's Hydrogen Society Roadmap provides the long-term framework to harness this opportunity. Initiatives such as the Platinum Valley and the Project Rhynbow hydrogen corridor are examples of the country's transition from concept to implementation, with catalytic projects in the mobility, energy and industrial sectors already underway.
Ms Gina commended Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, for convening and leading the summit and reiterated South Africa's commitment to working with African and international partners to position the continent as a leader in the global hydrogen economy.
Issued by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
For more information, please contact Ms Veronica Mohapeloa at 083 400 5750.
