- SDG Namibia One, which is part of Climate Fund Managers’ Climate Investor Three Fund, commits up to USD 3.6 million to advance the Dâures Green Fertiliser Project, with development funding provided by the European Union’s Global Gateway and Invest International
- Once operational, the project aims to produce up to 20,000 tonnes of green ammonia and 80,000 tonnes of ammonium sulphate fertiliser annually for Namibian and regional markets
- Project expected to avoid nearly 48,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions annually, create up to 115 permanent jobs and strengthen regional fertiliser supply and food security
Windhoek, Namibia, 10 September 2026: SDG Namibia One, which is part of Climate Fund Managers’ Climate Investor Three Fund, today announced the signing of a Development Funding Agreement with energy company Enersense Energy Namibia, to advance the development of the Dâures Green Fertiliser Project in Namibia’s Erongo Region. SDG Namibia One is the country’s dedicated energy transition and green hydrogen fund. The project will use renewable energy and green hydrogen to produce low-carbon fertiliser for Namibian and regional markets, supporting agricultural productivity and food security while reducing reliance on imports.
Located in the Dâures Constituency, approximately 50 kilometres inland from Namibia’s Atlantic coast, the project will harness the area’s abundant solar and wind resources to produce up to 20,000 tonnes per annum of green ammonia and up to 80,000 tonnes per annum of ammonium sulphate fertiliser. Dedicated infrastructure comprising 60 MW of solar PV, 10 MW of wind generation and a 65 MWh battery energy storage system will provide renewable power for a 40 MW electrolysis facility to produce green hydrogen that will be converted into green ammonia and, ultimately, fertiliser. Once operational, the project is expected to avoid approximately 48,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions each year by displacing conventional fertiliser production using grey ammonia, creating up to 115 permanent jobs in a rural area where employment opportunities are limited.
SDG Namibia One is managed by Namibia Hydrogen Fund Managers, a partnership between Climate Fund Managers, Invest International and the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia. It is a blended finance facility, combining public and private capital to support projects from early-stage development through construction and into operation.
SDG Namibia One will provide up to USD 3.6 million towards a total development budget of up to USD 7.07 million and will act as co-developer alongside Enersense Energy Namibia. The development funding, provided by the European Union under its Global Gateway strategy and Invest International, will support critical activities including front-end engineering design, market development, permitting, environmental and social studies and the conversion of market interest into bankable offtake arrangements. Financial close is targeted for the second quarter of 2028, with commercial operations expected in the first quarter of 2030.
Agricultural productivity and food security are important national priorities for Namibia, where the agricultural sector is highly exposed to drought and climate variability. Fertiliser is an essential agricultural input that can help improve productivity, yet Namibia and the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC) remain heavily reliant on imports and face a significant supply deficit. By establishing domestic production of low-carbon fertiliser, the project has the potential to reduce reliance on carbon-intensive imports and help decarbonise agricultural value chains. The project will also strengthen regional supply chains and support greater local value addition.
The project is expected to be one of the first commercial-scale green fertiliser projects in Southern Africa, building on the Dâures Green Hydrogen Village pilot programme developed by Enersense at the project site. To date, approximately USD 17.7 million has been mobilised for pilot and proof-of-concept activities, with funding provided by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the United Kingdom Government as well as Enersense. The pilot is expected to produce Namibia’s first locally manufactured green fertiliser by the fourth quarter of 2026, generating operational data that will inform the development and optimisation of the commercial-scale project.
The project demonstrates the role that blended finance can play in moving emerging green hydrogen projects towards bankability. Early-stage development capital for first-of-a-kind projects is typically scarce due to the technical, commercial and execution risks involved. Through SDG Namibia One, risk-tolerant development capital can be deployed alongside active project development and governance support to complete the work required to reach financial close and create the conditions for commercial investors to participate in the construction.
Mercia Geises, CEO of Namibia Hydrogen Fund Managers, said: “The Dâures Green Fertiliser Project aligns strongly with Namibia’s green industrialisation ambitions, creating greater value from the country’s renewable resources by using green hydrogen to produce a critical agricultural input at home. By producing low-carbon fertiliser for Namibian and regional markets, the project has the potential to reduce reliance on imports, strengthen agricultural value chains and support food security. Through SDG Namibia One, we are providing the early-stage development capital and co-development support needed to progress the project towards bankability and create the conditions for private capital to invest at scale. We are pleased to work alongside a Namibian-owned developer to take the project from its pioneering pilot towards commercial-scale production.”
Martin Nambundunga, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Daures Fertilizer Solutions, said: “A country cannot truly be independent if it cannot feed its own people, and our farmers cannot produce enough food if we continue depending on expensive fertiliser imports. Through this partnership, we are producing fertiliser right here in the desert – using burdened, unfarmable landscapes to unlock the full potential of Namibia’s productive agricultural soils. Our goal is simple: manufacture these inputs locally to make them accessible to farmers in Namibia and beyond, create jobs, support local industries with cleaner products, and improve livelihoods. When our farmers can access these home-grown inputs, they can grow more food, strengthen their businesses, and help Namibia become truly food secure.”
Erica Gerretsen, Director for the Green Deal and Digital agenda at the Directorate-General for International Partnerships, European Commission, said: “The Dâures Green Fertiliser Project is a powerful example of how green hydrogen can become a driver of agricultural development and food security. By using renewable energy to produce green fertiliser locally, Namibia can reduce its dependence on imports, strengthen the resilience of its agricultural sector and create new opportunities for farmers, businesses and rural communities. This is precisely the kind of transformation the EU’s Global Gateway seeks to support: investing in sustainable local value chains, creating jobs and ensuring that the green transition delivers tangible benefits for people. Dâures is an inspiring example of how green industrialisation can go hand in hand with Namibia’s ambitions for a more productive and food-secure future.”
Jeroen Plag, Chief Investment Officer at Invest International, said: “Green hydrogen is a critical piece of the puzzle in the global decarbonisation of industries that are difficult to abate, including fertiliser production. Through our collaboration with the European Union, Invest International helps advance projects that combine climate action with inclusive economic growth. The Dâures Green Fertiliser Project is a strong example of this approach: it supports Namibia’s ambitions to build a green industrial base, strengthens food security through local fertiliser production, reduces reliance on imports and creates lasting economic opportunities.”
The Dâures Green Fertiliser Project is the fourth investment made by SDG Namibia One, following investments in Hyphen, Namibia’s first gigawatt-scale green hydrogen project; HyIron’s Oshivela Project, Africa’s first climate-neutral iron plant; and the Zhero Molecules Walvis Bay Project, an industrial-scale green ammonia facility. Together, these investments demonstrate the breadth of SDG Namibia One’s mandate across the energy transition and green hydrogen value chain in Namibia, spanning green hydrogen production and downstream applications in green iron, green ammonia and fertiliser.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
About Enersense Energy Namibia:
Enersense Energy Namibia (EEN) is a 100% Namibian, youth-owned energy and infrastructure company dedicated to developing, delivering and operating sustainable energy solutions that drive Namibia’s economic and industrial growth. EEN is the lead developer of the pioneering Daures Green Hydrogen Village, an initiative at the forefront of Namibia’s green industrialisation. This lighthouse project advances low-carbon fertiliser production while generating sustainable economic opportunities for local communities. Demonstrating its leadership in the energy transition, EEN holds the distinction of being the first project developer in Sub-Saharan Africa to successfully commission and produce green ammonia. Established in 2021, Enersense Energy Namibia has offices in Windhoek and Daures. www.daures.green
About Climate Fund Managers:
Climate Fund Managers is a climate-focused blended finance investment manager operating in emerging markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America. It raises and deploys blended climate finance funds, working in partnership to deliver climate solutions at scale and pace. With over USD 2.8 billion in assets under management and more than 50 active projects, it invests across key areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation, including renewable energy; energy transition and green hydrogen; water, waste and maritime; and sustainable cities and the built environment. Its private equity strategies include Climate Investor One, Climate Investor Two, Climate Investor Three and the Shariah-compliant Malaysia Climate Infrastructure Fund (MCIF), which broadens access to climate infrastructure investment for Islamic investors. It also offers a private credit strategy through the GAIA Climate Loan Fund. Its funds are supported by public and private sector organisations, with public capital deployed strategically to balance risk and mobilise private sector capital, enabling investment across the project lifecycle – from development to construction and operation. Established in 2015, Climate Fund Managers is a joint venture between the Dutch development bank FMO and Sanlam InfraWorks of the Sanlam Group in South Africa, with offices in The Hague, Cape Town, Singapore and Bogotá. www.climatefundmanagers.com
About Environmental Investment Fund:
The Environment Investment Fund (EIF) is a fund focused exclusively on investments in the environmental sector. EIF is one of only 24 such entities globally and the only one in Africa to have been accredited by the Global Climate Fund. EIF has raised more than N$2 billion globally and has deployed more than N$1.7 billion into various climate related projects in Namibia. www.eif.org.na
About Invest International:
Invest International is a joint venture between the Dutch Government and FMO, with a mandate to provide financing to companies and projects that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs worldwide, while contributing to the earning capacity and resilience of the Dutch economy. Invest International plays a catalysing role in establishing green hydrogen corridors between emerging markets and North-Western Europe, to create sustainable economic development in export countries, contribute to the energy transition and strengthen the Netherlands as a provider of specialised technological and logistical services. www.investinternational.nl
About the European Union and Global Gateway:
The EU and Namibia are longstanding and committed partners with a shared ambition to foster sustainable economic development and to advance the green transition. In 2022, the EU and Namibia signed a Strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains and renewable hydrogen aimed at advancing Namibia’s green industrialisation, attracting investment and creating local value and jobs, while contributing to the EU’s supply diversification and security. Team Europe is Namibia’s biggest trade and development partner and supports its green transition through the Global Gateway investment strategy, the EU’s contribution to narrowing the global investment gap worldwide. It is in line with the commitment of the G7 leaders from June 2021 to launch a values-driven, high-standard and transparent infrastructure partnership to meet global infrastructure development needs.
The total EU contribution to Climate Fund Managers-managed funds is EUR 178 million to date plus a EUR 205 million EFSD+ guarantee, making them the largest public investor in Climate Fund Managers’ operations. The EU commitment to SDG Namibia One Fund is EUR 25 million. Energy for Africa – European Commission Namibia
Media Enquiries: For more information, please contact Sophie Blythe: s.blythe@climatefundmanagers.com .
Disclaimer
Climate Fund Managers B.V. is a manager of alternative investment funds and has obtained an AIFMD license from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten “AFM”) pursuant to section 2:65 of the Dutch Act on Financial Supervision (Wet op het financieel toezicht). Climate Fund Managers is included in the public register maintained by the AFM on its website under license number 15004367.
Climate Fund Managers is the appointed alternative investment fund manager of the following alternative investment funds: Coöperatief Construction Equity Fund U.A., Coöperatief CI2 Construction Equity Fund U.A., Coöperatief CI3 Global Fund U.A. and GAIA Climate Loan Fund SCSp (established under the laws of Luxembourg).
Namibia Hydrogen Fund Managers (Pty) Ltd is registered as an Unlisted Investment Manager in terms of Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Regulations, 2018, made under the Pension Funds Act, 1956 (Act No. 24 of 1956) (Reference No. 24/UIM/40.This press release is for general information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, nor an offer or solicitation to invest in any fund managed or co-managed by Climate Fund Managers B.V. or any of its affiliates.