CEPREC-Kenya colleagues participate in the Green Hydrogen Leadership at the Global African Hydrogen Summit in Namibia

Driving Skills and Green Innovation for Africa’s Hydrogen Future

At the Global African Hydrogen Summit, the CEPRREC-Kenya team, represented by Andrew Ochieng Adwera, a PhD Candidate, and Dr Churchill Saoke, director of Strathmore Energy Resource Centre (SERC), and research member in the CEPRREC-Kenya team, participated in key discussions that highlighted both the importance of skills development and the need to accelerate green mobility solutions for hard-to-abate sectors.

Discussions on alternatives for energy security, including the growth of sectors such as electric vehicles and the circular economy, were raised to address the challenges related to energy poverty.  This relates to repurposing electric vehicle batteries for stationary applications.

Skills for the Hydrogen Economy

 In the TEI OP-VET Masterclass on Opportunity-Driven Skills Development for Green Hydrogen Value Chains, Andrew emphasised how Kenya must align training institutions with industry needs to unlock employment opportunities and prepare a future-ready workforce.

This approach is already being championed through the Pan-African Green Hydrogen Hub at Strathmore University, which is set to provide practical training platforms, including pilot plants, harmonised accreditation frameworks, and research collaborations. Andrew highlighted how this initiative could form the backbone of a national hydrogen skills roadmap, ensuring Kenya develops globally competitive talent.

Green Mobility for Hard-to-Abate Sectors

Beyond capacity building, Andrew also presented on enabling green mobility in aviation and shipping. These sectors—responsible for more than 5% of global CO₂ emissions—remain challenging to decarbonise.

A Kenyan case study was also presented, looking at the development of the green hydrogen economy. This process began with the development of the green hydrogen strategy and roadmap, followed by the creation of guidelines for its implementation and the establishment of a green hydrogen secretariat, based at the Ministry of Energy, to oversee the strategy’s implementation.

Kenya’s strategic advantages were pointed out as abundant renewable resources, access to major ports, supportive policies such as e-mobility tariffs and SAF incentives, and a growing pipeline of hydrogen projects totalling 5,600 MW of renewable capacity under evaluation. With Kenya Airways already piloting Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the country is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable transport.

Global Collaboration

Crucially, the team underscored that Kenya’s efforts are strengthened by regional and global collaboration through platforms such as the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA). Such alliances provide a framework for shared learning, harmonised strategies, and joint investment opportunities—ensuring that Africa speaks with one voice in shaping the global hydrogen economy.

The insights by Andrew and Dr Saoke on the skills for hydrogen made it clear that partnerships, targeted policy, and investment in infrastructure are now essential to scale these opportunities. By bridging skills development with innovation in sectors like aviation and shipping—and by anchoring Kenya’s leadership within global collaborations—Andrew continues to champion a holistic approach to building Africa’s hydrogen economy: one that empowers people, strengthens industries, and secures Kenya’s role as a continental leader in green hydrogen

Article by Dr. William Murithi