The Eastern Cape is putting green hydrogen at the heart of an ambitious industrial comeback, betting on billions in investment to revive its manufacturing base, create jobs and turn Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City into major players in the global low-carbon economy.
The province’s newly unveiled green hydrogen strategy sets out a three-decade plan to exploit its vast renewable energy potential, ports and industrial infrastructure.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane announced on Tuesday while speaking at the African Green Hydrogen Summit (AGHS) 2026 in Cape Town that the Coega Special Economic Zone and the East London IDZ had been identified as the launchpads for an industry government hopes will deliver far more than hydrogen.
Mabuyane said he envisioned new factories, local suppliers, skills, exports and economic opportunities for Eastern Cape communities.
He said the strategy was the product of a collaboration between the Eastern Cape department of economic development, environmental affairs and tourism, the department of science, technology and innovation, the South African National Energy Development Institute and Nelson Mandela University (NMU).
The partnership brings together government, technical expertise and academic knowledge to support a co-ordinated approach to green hydrogen development in the province.
Adopted by the Eastern Cape provincial executive council for resourcing and implementation, the strategy provides the province’s roadmap for building a competitive green hydrogen economy while supporting the continued competitiveness of existing industries.
“Green hydrogen production, export and utilisation represent both a substantial economic opportunity and a strategic priority for the Eastern Cape.
“The strategy is ultimately about using green hydrogen as a catalyst for industrialisation, economic growth and long-term regional competitiveness,”Mabuyane said.
“It gives us a roadmap to attract investment, deepen value chains, support localisation and skills development, and ensure that our existing automotive, manufacturing and export industries remain competitive as global markets transition to lower-carbon production.”
He said the province’s renewable energy resources, the SEZs’, deep-water ports, skills base and export manufacturing capability provided a strong platform from which to develop the sector.
The province has more than 2.4 gigawatts of renewable energy projects operational or under construction and a renewable energy pipeline exceeding 10 gigawatts.
The ports of Ngqura and East London, Coega SEZ and East London IDZ, together with an established automotive and manufacturing base, provide industrial and export infrastructure close to potential production sites.
Economic development MEC Nonkqubela Pieters said the two SEZs were critical platforms in this process because they brought together industrial infrastructure, logistics, investment support, skills and access to global markets.
“By connecting these platforms with our renewable energy resources, ports, infrastructure and regional partners, we can move beyond simply producing green hydrogen to building new industries, new capabilities and new economic opportunities for the Eastern Cape,” Pieters said.
East London IDZ chief executive Thembela Zweni said the province’s green hydrogen strategy and its participation in the African Green Hydrogen Summit provided an important platform for the ELIDZ to reinforce its role as a practical industrial partner in translating the Eastern Cape’s green hydrogen ambitions into bankable investment opportunities.
“Green hydrogen must be advanced as a catalyst for industrialisation, investment attraction and long-term competitiveness,” Zweni said
“This is not merely an energy conversation; it is a significant industrial development opportunity.”
The strategy’s focus is now on converting these advantages into viable projects and broad-based economic benefits.
Anchor green hydrogen projects at Coega and the East London IDZ have been designated national strategic integrated projects, providing an early platform for investment and commercial development.
Implementation is structured in three phases — establishing the sector and enabling conditions to 2030, scaling production, industry and skills from 2030 to 2040, and developing a mature, internationally competitive green hydrogen economy integrated into global low-carbon value chains from 2040 to 2050.
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