Nigeria is currently educating a number of employees in Southern and Western nations in an effort to enhance the availability of energy throughout Africa and lessen reliance on expats from Europe and other continents.
Through the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Nigeria has developed its labor force by training employees of utility firms in Ghana, Togo, Malawi, Liberia, Mozambique, and other countries. The information was released at a time when Nigeria is still among the nations with the least effective electricity systems.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a gathering that included the Ministry of Power, NAPTIN, and the Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA), industry participants stated that the federal government is transforming NAPTIN into an international competition agency in order to quickly address the shortage of human capital in Nigeria’s energy sector.
According to Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, Director-General of NAPTIN, Nigeria has agreements in place with other African nations for the provision of human capacity development in the electrical industry. “One of my professors recently got back from Malawi, where we trained Malawian electrical companies.”
“We have an agreement with Angola, and we are also training staff in Portuguese-speaking nations like Mozambique. We have trained Ghanaian power workers on the West African side. In Liberia, we have a contract to train individuals,” he remarked.
As a member of the African Network of Centers of Excellence in Electricity (ANCEE) family and a center of excellence under the West African Power Pool (WAPP) Protocol, Nagode revealed that the current administration is making significant investments in the nation’s infrastructure and resources for electricity training.
According to Nagode, NAPTIN has over 1000 employees educated throughout Africa, and some contracts are still in effect.
Nagode urged cooperation to propel the expansion of Nigeria’s electricity sector, stating that stakeholders—from government organizations to private businesses and academic institutions to business professionals—must be given a seat at the table and given a voice in determining the sector’s course.
“We are able to close gaps, overcome obstacles, and seize fresh chances for development and advancement. With changes in market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and technological breakthroughs, the energy sector is changing quickly. We must invest in our human capital through high-quality training programs, knowledge-sharing efforts, and capacity-building activities if we want to stay ahead of the curve and be competitive,” he stated.
According to Mamudah Mamman, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Power, human capital continues to be the foundation of the power supply industry. Because of the intricacy of the processes and technology involved, navigating and realizing the full potential of the sector requires not just skillful hands but also creative brains.
He stated that the Nigerian electrical supply business is at a critical juncture and that it is imperative to recognize and address the need for ongoing development, upskilling, and workforce empowerment.
“As we work to increase our capacity and reliability in energy delivery, the importance of qualified human capital cannot be emphasized. Our shared goal is to create a future in which the energy sector is not only sustainable but also a leader in innovation and quality both inside and outside of Africa. This necessitates a steadfast dedication to funding employee empowerment, growth, and training.”
“We are all in agreement that building human capital is essential to accomplishing the objectives of the NESI. We can innovate, enhance service delivery, and propel the industry through our proficient professionals, technicians, engineers, and entire workforce,” Mamman stated.
