REA Showcases Renewable Energy and Skills Development to Canadian Minister

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, has highlighted Nigeria’s progress in renewable energy deployment and human capital development during a visit by Canada’s Minister of International Development, Hon. Randeep Sarai, to the University of Abuja Solar Hybrid Power Plant.

The visit provided an opportunity for the REA to showcase the impact of the Energizing Education Programme (EEP) Phase II, under which the 3MW solar hybrid mini-grid was developed by EM-ONE Energy Solutions.

According to Aliyu, the project represents more than a power infrastructure investment, serving as a model for how decentralized renewable energy can support education, research, innovation, and workforce development simultaneously.

Located at the University of Abuja, the facility provides sustainable electricity to the university community and houses a renewable energy training centre designed to build technical capacity within the sector. The centre has already trained 20 female STEM students, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers in Nigeria’s growing renewable energy industry.

Aliyu noted that one of the programme’s graduates is currently employed by EM-ONE Energy Solutions and continues to work on-site, demonstrating the effectiveness of the initiative in creating practical career pathways for young professionals, particularly women.

During discussions with the Canadian delegation, stakeholders also highlighted the increasing demand for skilled renewable energy professionals across the country. Representatives of EM-ONE Energy Solutions noted that several trainees from the programme have already secured opportunities across the industry, reflecting the sector’s rapid growth.

The development prompted conversations around the REA’s NextGen RESCO Programme, an initiative established to equip young Nigerians with practical experience and technical skills required to support the expansion of decentralized renewable energy solutions nationwide.

Aliyu emphasized that as Nigeria accelerates its clean energy transition, investments in human capital, technical skills, and institutional capacity must grow alongside infrastructure development.

He added that the long-term sustainability of the country’s renewable energy ambitions will depend not only on the deployment of technology but also on the availability of a skilled workforce capable of driving and maintaining the sector’s growth.