Casablanca – Africa is expected to become an increasingly important player in the global clean hydrogen market over the coming decade, with Morocco among the countries projected to account for the majority of the continent’s future production. New projections from the International Energy Agency (IEA), highlighted in a recent energy research report, indicate that Africa could substantially expand its low-emission hydrogen output by 2030 as governments and private investors continue developing large-scale renewable energy and industrial projects.

According to the report, Africa currently produces only about 6,000 metric tons of low-emission hydrogen annually, almost entirely through electrolysis projects powered by renewable electricity. Existing production remains limited and is concentrated primarily in South Africa, Egypt, and Namibia, reflecting the early stage of the continent’s clean hydrogen industry.

The outlook for the remainder of the decade is considerably more ambitious. If all 31 clean hydrogen projects currently under development become operational as planned, Africa’s annual production could reach approximately 1.2 million metric tons by 2030. Such an increase would represent one of the fastest expansions of a new energy industry on the continent, although analysts note that achieving these targets will depend on project execution, financing, and infrastructure development.

Morocco is expected to be one of the principal contributors to this growth. Together with Egypt and Namibia, the country is projected to account for more than 80% of Africa’s clean hydrogen production by 2030. The concentration of production in these three countries reflects their favorable renewable energy resources, investment strategies, and efforts to develop integrated hydrogen value chains linked to both domestic industry and export markets.

The planned projects rely entirely on electrolyzer technology, which uses electricity generated from renewable sources to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The combined installed capacity targeted by the projects under development reaches approximately 17 gigawatts, equivalent to an average project size of about 560 megawatts. These facilities are expected to be powered mainly by large-scale solar and wind energy installations, taking advantage of Africa’s abundant renewable resources.

Despite the positive outlook, the report cautions that implementation remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges. While numerous projects have been announced across the continent, only 2% of Africa’s clean hydrogen developments have reached the Final Investment Decision (FID) stage, the milestone that typically allows construction to begin. Many projects remain in the planning or feasibility phase, highlighting the gap between announced ambitions and projects that have secured financing and regulatory approvals.

Industry analysts note that moving projects from the planning stage to commercial operation will require continued investment in electricity generation, transmission networks, water supply infrastructure, ports, storage facilities, and export logistics. Long-term purchase agreements and international demand will also play a significant role in supporting future investment decisions.

The report distinguishes between the two principal forms of low-emission hydrogen. Green hydrogen is produced through water electrolysis using electricity generated from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Blue hydrogen, by contrast, is produced from fossil fuels while incorporating carbon capture and storage technologies to reduce emissions. Both are considered lower-carbon alternatives to conventional hydrogen, which continues to dominate global production.

Worldwide hydrogen production reached approximately 100 million metric tons in 2025, with conventional hydrogen accounting for around 99% of total output. Expanding green and blue hydrogen production is viewed as an important step toward reducing emissions in industries that are difficult to electrify, including steel, chemicals, fertilizers, shipping, and certain heavy manufacturing sectors.

Looking beyond 2030, Africa’s production potential could increase even further. The report identifies 20 additional hydrogen projects scheduled to begin operations after 2030. If these developments are completed, the continent’s annual clean hydrogen production capacity could rise to approximately 8.5 million metric tons, with Egypt expected to contribute more than 1.9 million metric tons of annual output.

Africa’s long-term competitiveness is supported by its extensive renewable energy resources. According to the report, the continent possesses more than 1,000 terawatts of combined technical potential from solar power and onshore wind energy. These resources provide favorable conditions for producing renewable electricity at competitive costs, an important factor in reducing the cost of green hydrogen production.

More than 60% of Africa’s renewable energy potential is located in countries that have already adopted policies supporting energy transition and hydrogen development. This concentration of renewable resources offers opportunities not only to meet growing domestic electricity demand but also to support the production of hydrogen and hydrogen-derived products for export to international markets seeking lower-carbon energy supplies.

Morocco has increasingly positioned clean hydrogen as part of its broader strategy to expand renewable energy, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and attract international investment. The country’s significant solar and wind resources, combined with infrastructure development and proximity to European markets, have contributed to growing interest from international developers exploring hydrogen production and export opportunities.

While green hydrogen receives the greatest attention, the report indicates that blue hydrogen development remains limited across Africa. Although the continent holds roughly 7% of global natural gas reserves, concentrated mainly in Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, and Libya, no commercial blue hydrogen production projects using carbon capture and storage technologies are currently under development.

The report identifies only one planned exception: a natural gas processing project in Libya with an annual capacity of approximately 1.6 million metric tons, scheduled to begin operations before 2030. Even so, the study notes that carbon capture and storage infrastructure remains limited across Africa compared with other regions developing blue hydrogen industries.

The report suggests that Africa possesses many of the natural resources required to become a significant supplier of clean hydrogen in the global energy transition. However, the pace of future growth will largely depend on investment decisions, infrastructure deployment, financing availability, regulatory certainty, and the successful execution of projects currently under development. For Morocco, continued progress in renewable energy and industrial investment could strengthen its position among the continent’s leading producers as Africa’s clean hydrogen sector moves from planning toward commercial production.