Higher learning institutions fuel Africa’s hydrogen transition

From the newsletter

South Africa’s Vaal University of Technology (VUT) has launched a Centre of Excellence for Hydrogen Energy. The Centre will advance research and skills development in green hydrogen, reflecting a wider African trend where universities and technical institutions are establishing platforms linking research with practical training.

• Despite having significant renewable energy potential to drive a robust green hydrogen economy, inadequate skills and knowledge remain a barrier.

• Without a skilled workforce, the continent risks remaining a supplier of raw renewable resources rather than a developer of hydrogen innovations

More details

• Established in 1966, Vaal University of Technology (VUT) is one of South Africa’s largest public institutions offering technology-focused courses. Phase 1 of the project supported by Standard Bank aims to accelerate VUT’s as a leading player in green hydrogen energy research in the country. The initiative has also attracted interest from international partners in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, making VUT the only African member of a 13-partner European consortium exploring hydrogen innovation

• Speaking during the launch of the Centre of Excellence for Hydrogen Energy, Simone Cooper, Head of Business and Commercial Banking South Africa at Standard Bank said by investing in the initiative, the Bank is “helping unlock the potential of research, academia, and finance working together to solve pressing energy challenges.”

• “This initiative will not only contribute to global research but also open new pathways for collaboration, investment, and economic development. Importantly, it will inspire our students and community to see themselves as active participants in shaping a sustainable future, “said the university’s Vice Chancellor, Khehla Ndlovu

• VUT joins a growing list of universities and technical institutions in Africa actively engaged in research and innovation to accelerate green hydrogen development. These institutions are moving beyond traditional teaching to become hubs of research, innovation and skills development. Centres like VUT’s are establishing laboratories, pilot projects and collaborative programmes with industry to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industrial application.

• In Namibia, the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) has partnered with Hyphen Hydrogen Energy and German institutions to develop applied research programmes, equipping students with the skills needed for the country’s hydrogen export projects.

• In the northern part of the continent, Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is testing electrolyser technologies and hydrogen integration into industrial processes, leveraging partnerships with OCP Group to align research with real-world applications. In neighbouring Egypt, Nile University co-hosts the International Green Hydrogen Centre of Excellence with the Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), serving as a regional hub for green hydrogen policy, investment, and capacity-building.

• West Africa is also making strides. The international Master’s programme Energy and Green Hydrogen (IMP-EGH), a collaboration between West African universities and RWTH Aachen University in Germany, recently received ASIIN accreditation for professional training in green hydrogen. Starting in 2025, students across 15 countries will earn dual degrees, building local expertise and creating opportunities in business, science and policy.

• Meanwhile in Kenya, Moi University established the Renewable Energy Innovation Park and Green Hydrogen, Ammonia and Fertiliser Research Hub (MUREPHAR) to produce green hydrogen and ammonia for demonstration, research and training. The country’s Strathmore University has partnered with Curtin and Griffith Universities in Australia to launch the Africa Green Hydrogen Hub, fostering research, innovation and knowledge exchange.

• These initiatives are instrumental in closing the skills gap, attracting global partnerships, strengthening investor confidence and supporting a just energy transition. Yet without sustained investment, stronger industry linkages and continent-wide collaboration, Africa’s Centres of Excellence risk becoming symbolic rather than transformative, limiting their ability to close the hydrogen skills gap.

• If these challenges are addressed, the expansion of Centres of Excellence could help Africa build a robust talent pipeline and research ecosystem, positioning the continent as a key player in the global hydrogen economy. 

Our take

• The spread of hydrogen hubs across Africa signals momentum, but without cross-border and cross-sector collaboration they risk becoming isolated experiments.

• By equipping young Africans with future-focused skills, Centres of Excellence can ensure the hydrogen economy supports inclusive growth rather than deepening dependency on external expertise.

• Africa has no shortage of ambition in hydrogen research. The test now is whether Centres of Excellence can deliver applied solutions that strengthen industries at home while opening pathways to export markets.