JETRO Participates in the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit 2025

The South African government hosted the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit 2025 in Cape Town between June 12 and 13. The theme for this summit was to focus on the potential of green hydrogen in Africa and achieve sustainable growth. It brought together African government officials, companies from around the world, and researchers. The event was held in 2022 and 2023, and this is its third year.

In the keynote speeches, President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosi Ramokgopa, took the stage to highlight Africa's advantages in renewable energy and that green hydrogen will contribute to energy security, industrial growth, and job creation.

President Ramaphosa said: "Through our partnership with the EU, we will be able to produce up to 400,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) per year from Sasol. “We are prioritising support for projects that aim to produce it”, he said. Noting that pilot projects in the Free State and Sasolburg have started producing green hydrogen for domestic use. Furthermore, the Coega Green Ammonia Project in the Eastern Cape is in its final planning stages, with additional flagship hydrogen projects soon to be approved by the Cabinet. "As the G20 Presidency, South Africa has made energy transition a priority as an engine of economic growth and social development, and hydrogen will be a bridge for new export industries for African countries," he concluded.

In his speech, Minister of Electricity and Energy, Ramokgopa, formally announced the South African Renewable Energy Master Plan (SAREM). “SAREM is not just a roadmap for the expansion of renewable energy generation, it is a blueprint for industrialisation through energy," he said. In addition, it aims to capitalize on South Africa's growing demand for renewable energy (including green hydrogen) to promote upstream and downstream industrial development, including photovoltaic, wind, battery storage, electrolyzers and fuel cell technologies.

JETRO Johannesburg Office exhibited the Japan Pavilion, which was attended by eight Japan companies with products and technologies related to the hydrogen value chain.