On Friday, April 19th, a delegation from the expert team of the SHINE project, who were on a study visit in Nigeria, had the honor of hosting a breakfast at the Residence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Spain in Nigeria, together with the team from the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria. The purpose of the event was to discuss the future of green skills and the solar energy sector in Nigeria, in relation to the SHINE project.
SHINE, a project funded by the European Commission, aims to provide training for teachers and develop a curriculum for vocational training centers for solar energy technicians in Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda.
The event was welcomed by Santiago Ormeño, Head of Spanish Cooperation in Nigeria and facilitated by Sergio Lagarde (Mundus, project coordinator), Victoria Manya (INCLUDE, partner) and Norbert Edomah (Pan-Atlantic University, partner).
The discussion brought together experts from the education and solar energy sectors who are already working in Nigeria, fostering very interesting debates about what is already happening in the country and where further efforts are needed. Participants included experts from NAPTIN, GIZ, the European Union Delegation, the Spanish Embassy team, the French cooperation (Agence française de développement, AFD),representation from the Ministry of Education and the project experts.
The main conclusions highlighted the ideal timing for a project of this nature, given that Nigeria is in the midst of an energy transition, with a strong focus on solar energy. Additionally, the challenge posed by the informal sector and how training organizations and institutions need to address this sector by providing strong, validated, certified trainings that can quickly add value and employment opportunities for these technicians. Finally, solar energy was identified as one of the main solutions to the lack of access to energy in some communities, as well as a solution to the issues faced by the national electrification system and its consequent dependency on generators and oil.
There is much to do, many opportunities available, and above all, a great willingness to work and collaborate. The main conclusion from all stakeholders is to emphasize that there are already many initiatives on-going regarding training, capacity building and curriculum development in the solar sector in Nigeria. Therefore, it is crucial for all involved parties to work together collaboratively and not in isolation. This will allow for uniform, connected solutions, avoiding wastage of resources and efforts, but rather maximizing actions.
Moreover, the informal sector is strong, widespread, resilient and dynamic, playing a significant role in the country’s economy, as in the rest of Africa. Therefore it is crucial to develop strategies that add value, consistency and reliability to this sector and incorporate it since the very beginning in all the strategies. The circumstances of the sector demand for short, concise, job-oriented training and certifications. These programs should provide job security, equip technicians with valid tools, and address the immediacy of the market.
Finally, a good exchange of information and contact points and a clear will to create a network for collaboration. The SHINE team will work on the first project outputs: National roadmaps for Greening TVET in the solar sector and Country factsheets and skills analysis and will share them with the group as a starting point.
The time is now, and the needs and circumstances are clear. The SHINE team is ready to collaborate on the energy transition in Nigeria.