Namibia’s push to produce more fertilizer at home has received a $3.6 million funding boost, putting the country on a path to develop one of Africa’s emerging green ammonia projects aimed primarily at its domestic market.

Dâures Green Fertiliser, planned for Namibia’s Erongo region, secured the development funding from Enersense Energy Namibia under an agreement announced Sept. 10 by SDG Namibia One.

The financing forms part of a development budget of up to $7.07 million backed by support from the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative and Invest International.

The funding will cover engineering studies, environmental and social assessments, permits and commercial development.

A key priority will be securing firm purchase agreements from potential customers, a step needed to make the project bankable and move it toward construction.

Namibia targets fertilizer production for its own market

Dâures plans to combine 60 megawatts of solar power, 10 megawatts of wind generation and 65 megawatt-hours of energy storage to run a 40-megawatt electrolyzer.

Once operational, the facility is expected to produce as much as 20,000 tons of green ammonia and 80,000 tons of ammonium sulfate annually.

Financial close is targeted for the second quarter of 2028, with commercial operations scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2030.

“We are providing the early-stage development capital and co-development support needed to progress the project towards bankability,” said Mercia Geises, CEO of Namibia Hydrogen Fund Managers.

A different model for Africa’s green ammonia push

Dâures is notable because it is being developed around domestic fertilizer demand rather than relying mainly on overseas buyers.

More than 80% of Africa’s announced ammonia capacity is targeting export markets, according to the International Energy Agency’s Global Hydrogen Review 2026. Yet fertilizer use across Africa remains only about one-sixth of the global average.

The IEA says greater local ammonia production could improve access to nitrogen fertilizers, support agricultural output and reduce African countries’ exposure to swings in international fertilizer prices.

For Namibia, Dâures therefore represents more than a green-energy project: it could help build a local fertilizer supply chain while positioning renewable power as an input for agriculture and industrial production.