African green hydrogen: Using sustainable fertilisers for industrial and agricultural development in Morocco, Egypt and Kenya

Summary

African countries have long sought economic transformation through industrialisation and agricultural development. Integrating 'green' objectives – such as transitioning to low-carbon economies – into these ambitions introduces new challenges and complexities but can also unlock new opportunities.

This paper explores how combining green hydrogen and fertiliser production can be a catalyst for African green industrialisation and agricultural development, highlighting how one sector can kick-start the other. Our analysis of hydrogen plans and early investments in Morocco, Egypt and Kenya shows that renewable energy potential is only part of the equation for successfully establishing green hydrogen and fertiliser production in Africa. Morocco’s solar potential and proximity to the EU, Egypt’s high domestic demand and the Suez Canal, and Kenya’s renewable energy resources, all highlight diverse pathways for establishing a green hydrogen economy. However, each pathway comes with its own complexities, emphasising the importance of considering the interplay between industrialisation, agriculture and political economy factors in shaping the future of green hydrogen and fertilisers in Africa.