Martin WIlkinson, backs census to shape Hydrogen workforce

Martin Wilkinson is at the forefront of a major national effort to align Namibia’s workforce with the demands of the country’s first large scale green hydrogen development.


The Hyphen Hydrogen energy skills census, launched on 16 April 2025, invites all Namibians to submit their skills and qualifications. This data will be used to build a national job seeking database and identify the country’s existing expertise. According to Hyphen, the project is expected to create approximately 15,000 jobs during construction and 3,000 permanent jobs once operational. The skills census will help determine training, upskilling, and development programs needed to ensure that Namibians are equipped to take part in this economic opportunity. Wilkinson described the initiative as, “a crucial element of the National skills audit conducted as part of Hyphen’s socio-economic development baseline studies.” He added, “It aims to assess the current skills capacities within the country in relation to the specific skills requirements of the Hyphen project. This audit will identify skills gaps necessary for the construction and operation of the project, highlighting key skill requirements. In turn, we will develop tailored training programs to address these gaps, to empower and employ as many Namibians as possible.”


Participation in the census is open to all Namibians through a form accessible via QR code. Hyphen stated that individuals may choose to submit their information anonymously or be included in the company’s job seekers database. All data will be handled securely, ensuring privacy and protection. Hyphen Hydrogen Energy Ltd is a Namibian registered company formed to develop green hydrogen projects in Namibia. It is a joint venture between Nicholas Holdings Limited and ENERTRAG SE. The company says the project is the first step in supporting the Government of the Republic of Namibia’s strategy to build a green hydrogen industry that drives economic growth and global decarbonisation. According to Hyphen, at full scale, the project will produce 2 million tonnes of green ammonia annually before the end of the decade, using approximately 7GW of renewable generation capacity and 3GW of electrolyser capacity. This is expected to reduce 5 to 6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, while Namibia’s total emissions in 2021 were 4.01 million tonnes.