Lagos, Nigeria
Through the partnership, a new era of clean energy jobs opportunity and transition to a sustainable energy future is on the horizon for Nigeria.
The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Association Alliance, REEEA-ALLIANCE has officially partnered with Nigeria’s leading energy jobs summit, Energy Leaders Dialogue (ELD) which takes place on January 24, 2023 in a move described by industry watchers as a game changer in the push for a just energy transition and a fight against climate change.
With the objective of raising awareness of the opportunities in the Nigerian renewable energy sector and reviewing good practices on policies and programmes promoting youth’s employability, the partnership will see both ELD and REEEA-Alliance drive stronger advocacy for a vibrant clean energy workforce in 2023 and beyond.
As the umbrella body for Nigeria’s sustainable energy industry, REEEA-ALLIANCE was created to promote the development of the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors and bridge the gap between member organisations and the government. Its creation was initiated by the Nigerian Energy Support Programme, NESP, a technical assistance programme co-funded by the European Union and the German government and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GmbH in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power.
Also, partnering with the REEEA-Alliance is the German Solar Industry Association, BSW-Solar based in Berlin. This is fostered through a program run by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) which focuses on partnership projects. The BSW supports the REEEA-Alliance to develop into a strong, independent, and sustainable organization able to represent the interests of its members and to offer demand driven services toward their membership.
With the launch of the Nigerian Energy Transition Plan in August 2022 establishing the country’s strategy to reach a net-zero emissions energy system by 2060, the Alliance has been advocating for the Federal Government to provide incentives such as free land, tax holidays, and import duty wavers to renewable energy sector to boost electricity generation in the country. In March 2022, it held its first National Conference where it noted the important role to be played by youths and women in the energy transition value chain, the role of research and the production and channeling of fossil fuels to industries as raw materials.
“We believe the Alliance is in the best position to partner on this. With its immense potential for growth and innovation, the RE sector represents a path forward to provide rural and peri-urban youth with meaningful, stable employment and a career path. But very little is known about these opportunities for young people, the policies and measures that help them reap the benefits and contribute to Nigeria’s socio-economic development,” states Ayobami Adedinni, Founder at The Energy Intelligence adding that “we have a duty in ensuring Nigeria realizes the full potential of its energy and economic sectors through a resilient and vibrant clean energy workforce”.
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Energy Leaders Dialogue was established by The Energy Intelligence in 2020 to host senior decision makers in the African energy space to network and discuss the challenges to a sustainable energy future and proffer possible solutions. The theme for the January 2023 edition is “Career opportunities in the renewable energy industry”. The event will bring together young people, international organisations and other experts to discuss what is needed to build a clean energy workforce.