Despite being a major producer of oil and gas, Nigeria faces significant challenges in providing sufficient energy to power industries and meet domestic needs. A substantial number of people in rural areas are not connected to the grid and rely on fossil fuels like firewood and charcoal for cooking and other activities. Even in major urban areas that are connected to the grid, stable electricity remains a challenge. As a result, many businesses and households depend on diesel and gasoline generators, leading to environmental pollution and degradation.
A major feedback from the field studies on our Energy Democracy project that explored sustainability issues around renewable energy (particularly solar minigrids) revealed the need to have more people who are properly trained on solar systems installation and maintenance to help address infrastructure performance challenges. Indeed, a training workshop held from 5th – 9th August 2024 at the School of Science and Technology, Pan-Atlantic University for this purpose.
This first workshop had 32 persons in attendance with people from diverse backgrounds including; students, solar installers and maintenance personnel, people interested in going into solar systems installation and maintenance and teachers from technical schools teaching solar technology.
Evidently, programs like this highlight the importance of educating and building capacity in human resources as a crucial step toward resolving Nigeria’s energy crisis. With the foundation laid by this training, the next focus will be on applying these skills in real-world settings, to further advance Nigeria’s journey toward energy sustainability.
Author: Norbert Edomah