Nandi-Ndaitwah thought HyIron was ‘far-fetched dream’
When President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah first heard of plans to build a zero-emissions iron plant in Namibia, she admitted she was sceptical.
“At the time, the concept of a plant that would produce green iron with zero emissions in Namibia sounded like another far-fetched dream,” she said, recalling her first meeting with the HyIron team in 2023.
Fast forward two years, and now as President, Nandi-Ndaitwah presided over the official inauguration of the N$600 million HyIron Oshivela Plant — the first of its kind in the world — near Arandis on Friday.
Describing the moment as both “historic” and “visionary,” she reflected on her experience as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:
“I had met many potential investors, but was still waiting to see the real maturity of some of those investments.”
“Today, I stand before you with excitement to inaugurate this groundbreaking facility, which solidifies the unwavering commitment and shared vision of the HyIron project. Congratulations, HyIron Oshivela team.”
Built with support from the German government and private equity, the plant now produces 15,000 tonnes of direct reduced iron annually using green hydrogen generated from solar power — entirely without carbon emissions.
“Namibia is ready for business,” the President told investors. “But our vision is value addition, not just extraction.”
HyIron managing director Johannes Michels said he too faced doubts — not only about the project’s complexity, but also whether it could succeed in a country with limited industrial infrastructure.
“About one year ago, we started constructing and realising a dream that many told us was not possible,” he said. “Not in a country that hadn’t been industrialised, and not for something so new and innovative — so never been done before. One year later, with the help of around 400 people, we’ve made this dream come true — and even exceeded our own expectations.”
Germany’s special envoy to Namibia, Rainer Baake, recalled similar early scepticism when Michels first approached him with the idea.
“I said that such a project would require a lot of water — a resource not exactly abundant in the Namib Desert,” Baake said. “But then Michels explained they had a recycling system and wouldn’t need a constant water supply. That piqued my interest.”
After extensive consultations and technical evaluations, stakeholders warmed to the idea and ultimately backed the project.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah hailed the plant as a model for effective public-private cooperation.
“Let this be a lesson to other investors,” she said. “Namibia is not the place for empty promises. It is the place for execution. The future belongs to those who work hard toward a common vision.”
“At the time, the concept of a plant that would produce green iron with zero emissions in Namibia sounded like another far-fetched dream,” she said, recalling her first meeting with the HyIron team in 2023.
Fast forward two years, and now as President, Nandi-Ndaitwah presided over the official inauguration of the N$600 million HyIron Oshivela Plant — the first of its kind in the world — near Arandis on Friday.
Describing the moment as both “historic” and “visionary,” she reflected on her experience as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:
“I had met many potential investors, but was still waiting to see the real maturity of some of those investments.”
“Today, I stand before you with excitement to inaugurate this groundbreaking facility, which solidifies the unwavering commitment and shared vision of the HyIron project. Congratulations, HyIron Oshivela team.”
Built with support from the German government and private equity, the plant now produces 15,000 tonnes of direct reduced iron annually using green hydrogen generated from solar power — entirely without carbon emissions.
“Namibia is ready for business,” the President told investors. “But our vision is value addition, not just extraction.”
HyIron managing director Johannes Michels said he too faced doubts — not only about the project’s complexity, but also whether it could succeed in a country with limited industrial infrastructure.
“About one year ago, we started constructing and realising a dream that many told us was not possible,” he said. “Not in a country that hadn’t been industrialised, and not for something so new and innovative — so never been done before. One year later, with the help of around 400 people, we’ve made this dream come true — and even exceeded our own expectations.”
Germany’s special envoy to Namibia, Rainer Baake, recalled similar early scepticism when Michels first approached him with the idea.
“I said that such a project would require a lot of water — a resource not exactly abundant in the Namib Desert,” Baake said. “But then Michels explained they had a recycling system and wouldn’t need a constant water supply. That piqued my interest.”
After extensive consultations and technical evaluations, stakeholders warmed to the idea and ultimately backed the project.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah hailed the plant as a model for effective public-private cooperation.
“Let this be a lesson to other investors,” she said. “Namibia is not the place for empty promises. It is the place for execution. The future belongs to those who work hard toward a common vision.”
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