The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigeria currently lacks half of the skilled workforce necessary to efficiently operate the country’s power sector, particularly within the burgeoning renewable energy industry.
The Director-General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, Ahmed Nagode, made this disclosure during the official launch of the Next Gen RESCO Programme, organised by the Rural Electrification Agency in collaboration with NAPTIN and Eco-Innovation Empowerment Initiatives.
A REA statement on Sunday noted that Nagode emphasised the urgent need to bridge the skills gap among Nigerian youths to meet the evolving demands of the energy sector.
The event was themed, “Empowering Future Leaders in Renewable Energy.”
“This tripartite collaboration is carefully structured to identify, train, and empower youths with the requisite skills to thrive in the renewable energy sector,” he said.
Nagode highlighted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for job creation and economic growth, adding that Nigeria’s youthful population presents a unique opportunity to drive transformation in the sector.
He observed, “In Nigeria and many developing countries, the youth population is vast. However, white-collar jobs are shrinking like a pyramid the higher you go, the fewer they become.
“This programme addresses that gap by promoting skills acquisition to develop a vibrant, efficient, and effective renewable energy workforce, a sector still largely under-penetrated.”
Nagode pointed out that although Nigeria produces many graduates, most lack the practical skills required to function effectively in the industry.
“There is a difference between academic qualifications and the skills needed to operate the power network. That is the void NAPTIN was created to fill, especially in the renewable energy space,” he explained.
He outlined four critical training areas: solar photovoltaic installation and maintenance, solar PV supervision, mini-grid design, and energy efficiency.
Nagode added that while NAPTIN serves as a centre of excellence within the West African Power Pool and the Association of Power Utilities of Africa, the institute prioritises technical competence over paper qualifications.
“Many graduates lack relevance to available jobs. In renewable energy, we have not even filled 50 per cent of the required human capital. This gathering is about ensuring we produce well-skilled youth to operate and maintain renewable infrastructure,” he said.
He also expressed concern about the sustainability of solar infrastructure currently being deployed nationwide.
“Even in Abuja, solar streetlights are everywhere. Without proper operation and maintenance, many will fail within four to five years. This underscores the urgent need to scale up skills training for young Nigerians,” he stated.
Nagode urged stakeholders to prioritise local content development by training youths to take ownership of Nigeria’s renewable energy future rather than relying on foreign expertise.
To address this, the REA is determined to create an additional 10,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector in the coming years to help bridge the country’s significant energy access gap.
REA’s Managing Director/CEO, Abba Aliyu, noted there are currently about 70,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector, with thousands more needed.
He said, “The entire African continent accounts for only 320,000 jobs in this sector, with Nigeria the country with the greatest number of people lacking access accounting for just 70,000.
“We need to change that narrative. We are moving beyond rhetoric, actively creating opportunities. Through this event, we are adding 120 new jobs in renewable energy.
“Thanks to deliberate policies by Mr President, Nigeria now has a 600-megawatt photovoltaic panel manufacturing capacity, a capacity that did not exist before his administration.”
The Next Gen Programme, Nigeria’s first public-private talent pipeline for renewable energy, aims to attract and equip young Nigerian graduates with the skills required to work in the sector.
The initial cohort of 120 graduates, selected from across the six geopolitical zones, will undergo a paid three-month classroom course at NAPTIN, followed by a one-month internship with selected Renewable Energy Service Companies.
Aliyu explained that the programme combines classroom learning with nine months of paid internships at leading RESCOs, with automatic job offers for top-performing trainees.
The Punch
