By Egbuchulam Precious Chiemela
The Federal Government has sounded the alarm over Nigeria’s growing skills deficit in the power sector, warning that the country currently lacks more than 50% of the human resources required to support its energy transition and long-term electricity goals.
Director-General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Mr. Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, issued the warning in Abuja during the official flag-off of the Next Gen RESCO Programme—a talent development initiative championed by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), NAPTIN, and Eco-Innovation Empowerment Initiatives.
The programme is designed to create a new generation of technicians and engineers with hands-on training in renewable energy, particularly solar technology. It comes as Nigeria accelerates its shift toward clean energy and decentralized power systems.
“Nigeria is on the verge of a renewable energy revolution, but we are not training enough young people to drive and sustain it,” Nagode said. “We have infrastructure rolling out across the country, but not enough skilled hands to manage, maintain, or even understand them.”
He emphasized that the country’s energy goals are directly tied to the competence of its workforce.
“This is a critical national challenge. If we don’t invest in our people, we will import both the technology and the people to run it—and that is not sustainable,” Nagode stated.
With a theme titled “Empowering Future Leaders in Renewable Energy,” the programme aims to turn Nigeria’s demographic advantage—its large, youthful population—into an engine for sustainable development.
According to Nagode, while thousands of graduates are produced annually, many lack practical expertise needed in core technical fields. “We are graduating youths for jobs that no longer exist. In the power sector, especially renewables, jobs are available, but skills are missing,” he added.
NAPTIN has identified four key training tracks: to include, Solar PV installation and maintenance, Solar PV system supervision, Mini-grid design and Energy efficiency and audit
Nagode warned that solar installations across Nigeria are already under threat from poor maintenance due to a lack of trained local personnel. “In four to five years, most of the solar streetlights you see today will stop working—not because the technology failed, but because people were not trained to keep them alive,” he said.
REA’s Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Abba Aliyu, reinforced this view, noting that Nigeria is home to the largest energy access gap in Africa, yet contributes just a fraction to the continent’s renewable energy workforce.
“Out of 320,000 renewable energy jobs in Africa, Nigeria—despite its huge population—only accounts for about 70,000. We need to disrupt that,” Aliyu said. “And we are not just talking; we’re acting. Today, 120 new jobs are being created through this programme alone.”
Aliyu also revealed that Nigeria has developed a 600MW solar panel manufacturing capacity, a feat achieved under President Tinubu’s administration as part of efforts to strengthen local supply chains and reduce reliance on imports.
The Next Gen RESCO Programme will train 120 graduates—selected from all six geopolitical zones—through a hybrid model of classroom instruction and field-based internships. The top performers will be offered full-time roles with Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs).
“This is Nigeria’s first structured pipeline for green energy talent development,” Nagode concluded. “It’s about preparing the next generation not just to work, but to lead in the energy future we are building.”