AFD, EU Support NAPTIN to Boost Skills, Capacity in Nigeria Power Sector

By Towncriernews 

The European Union (EU) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) have collaborated with the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) 

to boost skills and capacity in the Nigerian power sector for enhanced service delivery.

The project which is under the “Enhancing Vocational Training Delivery for the Nigerian Power Sector” is jointly funded by the EU and AFD to the tune of $46 million to help NAPTIN in providing power sector stakeholders with a workforce whose skills have been developed and capacities adapted to their needs.

At the 10th Steering Committee Meeting of the project held in NAPTIN Headquarters, Abuja, Nigeria on the April 18 2024, stakeholders reviewed the progress made by the initiative, including upscaling the training catalogues; developing, renovating and equipping NAPTIN’s training centres with state-of-the-art standards and equipment; and enhancing the corporate governance and business model of NAPTIN.

With the biggest hydropower producer and the largest oil reserves in the ECOWAS region, Nigeria also offers great potential for renewable energy. 

In order to have these resources managed by the most skilled workers, NAPTIN was established as part of a larger framework for a robust training programme for the power sector with the aims to continuously develop the capacity of the power sector personnel and coordinate training activities across the country and the continent.

Chaired by the representative of the Federal Ministry of Power, Ms Victoria Adeosun, the Steering Committee Meeting was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance; the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning; the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE); the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN); the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC); and the funding partners (AFD and the EU) Delegation.

Speaking at the event, Ms Adeosun commended the continuous support provided by AFD and the EU which she said had enabled a smooth implementation of the project, the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

This is as NAPTIN’s Director General, Ahmed Bolaji Nagode described the meeting as a “very important and historical meeting”, while members of the steering committee congratulated all project stakeholders on the success so far recorded in its implementation. 

Mr. Massimo De Luca, noted that considering that power is a fundamental and key aspect of the EU’s involvement in Nigeria, “it is very good to see the progress made by NAPTIN on strengthening the offer on vocational training, which is part of a bigger and wider ambition of the EU Delegation to make a difference in the life of young Nigerian girls and boys.”

As AFD is specifically providing financing for the construction works, the Country Director was pleased to visit the far-advanced development at the headquarters site showcasing workshops and student and hostels mentioning that “it was very nice to be able to walk around state of the art buildings and see the amazing progress done in the past few months.” 

More specifically, the fact that the buildings takes into account gender inclusion and access to people with disabilities is key and in line with AFD’s requirements to make sure that every Nigerian could be trained by NAPTIN.

NAPTIN is set to inaugurate the new development at its new headquarters before the end of 2024.