According to the African Union's Blue Economy Strategy, in 2019 the sector generated USD$296-billion in revenue and employed 49 million people.

At that time, it predicted that by 2030, the blue economy would be worth USD$405-million and employ 57 million people.

In South Africa, Giokos visits a green field site in Nelson Mandela Bay that could one day become the world's largest green ammonia plant.

Colin Loubser, managing director of Hive Energy Africa, says, "We looked at sites all over Africa, all over the world, and we came to the inevitable conclusion that this would be the best site to set up a green ammonia plant."

"They have the infrastructure in place currently, road infrastructure, there's the water desalination plant, so we've got fresh water available to us. There's plenty of land — there are over 9 000 hectares of available land here," adds Loubser.

The demand for ammonia is growing internationally, but a cleaner, green manufacturing process has emerged using renewable energy.

Loubser adds that green ammonia will "start replacing heavy fuel oils on ships and it'll replace diesel. That will become the fuel of the future, particularly in the maritime industry."

The construction of the green ammonia plant is already underway. The production of green ammonia requires vast amounts of water and therefore would require the use of desalination plants.

John Drinkwater, managing director of Cerebos Salt, says, "We are taking a magnificent natural resource in terms of seawater, taking it through our salt works and then putting it through our pure vacuum-dried plant facility to produce a table salt, which is the best quality that you will get internationally."

When the green ammonia plant is up and running, Cerebos says it will supply a million litres of water a day to the project.

"If you're talking about true blue economies, I don't think you get much bluer than taking an infinite natural resource, processing it using renewable energy and producing consumer products that are therefore responsible. Also allowing that to then come back into the process through the water, to produce green ammonia and these are all commercially viable operations," adds Drinkwater.

Hive Energy aims to have the green ammonia plant up and running by 2026, and the construction phase could create thousands of jobs, with more becoming available once the plant is operational.

Asanda Xawuka, executive manager of Coega Development Corporation, says, "We were hit very hard by Covid. A number of jobs were lost in South Africa, for us in the Eastern Cape, the unemployment rate is sitting at over 50%, which means an investment of this nature with a number of jobs that are going to be created, it's going to be very big."

The plant would also drive intra-African trade.

"We see huge opportunities in Africa for intra-trade, cross-border cooperation We're also looking at Kenya, Uganda, Malawi. There are some fascinating opportunities," adds Loubser.

In the port city of Kisumu in Kenya, Giokos explores the billion-dollar investment along Lake Victoria aiming to transform the city into a logistics and tourism hub. The redevelopment of the lakefront is aimed at creating jobs across:
  • shipping
  • ports
  • aquaculture, and
  • tourism.

Owino Ogol, CEO of the Kisumi Lakefront Development Corporation, says, "The lake and the lakefront development will lead to business within the Africa countries by connecting the seven countries of East Africa."

"These seven countries have a population of around 300 million. That is a potential market. Now, by linking the two, transportation within these countries will be easier and cheaper. That means it will enhance trade; it will enhance the movement of people either for business or for tourism," concludes Ogol. 

For more information, visit www.edition.cnn.com. You can also follow CNN International on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.