Nigeria faces 50% skill gap in renewable energy sector – Reps C’ttee

The House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy on Thursday said Nigeria as 50 per cent unmet needs in the renewable energy skill sector.

The Chairman of the Committee and member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State, Afam Ogene, stated this in Abuja at the Africa Policy Dialogue workshop, themed “Green jobs and low carbon transition.”

The skill gap, according to the Labour Party lawmaker, has led to the engagement of semi-skilled technicians in the sector.

“Today, nearly 50 per cent of skilled labour needs in Nigeria’s renewable sector remain unmet. Employers across the country consistently report difficulty hiring qualified technicians, engineers, and system operators,” he said.

Apart from this challenge, Ogene also lamented the lack of adequate indigenous equipment manufacturers, stressing that most equipment used in the sector is largely imported; a development, he stressed, leads to the loss of green jobs in the country.

The lawmaker referenced China, which, through its green job programme backed by government policies and funding, had recorded over 7 million green jobs.

He pledged the commitment of the 10th House to come up with legislation to provide the needed interventions to open up the sector for job creation and service delivery.

He said, “With my team of experienced colleagues, expert legal advisors, and skilled legislative drafters, we’re confident in delivering a comprehensive and impactful law that the nation will be proud of.”

Welcoming participants to the event, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said that the interactive session was in line with the role of the 10th Assembly, which aligned directly with the broader oversight and legislative responsibility.

Represented by the Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, Abbas affirmed the 10th Assembly’s commitment to investigate policy gaps and recommend solution-driven measures to turn the sector around.

“Let me sincerely thank the Honourable Chairman and Members of the Committee on Renewable Energy for their diligence, foresight, and relentless effort in championing this important cause.

“As a responsible People’s House, we are fully aware of the strategic importance of green energy, not just because of its environmental significance but also due to its immense economic potential,” he said.

The Speaker restated the determination of the parliament to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to open up the renewable energy sector for job creation and green energy transition.

On her part, co-founder, Advocacy for Policy Innovation, Victoria Manya, urged relevant stakeholders to collaborate in advancing the course of renewable energy in the country.

She said, “What we must do is reclaim the transition not only as a climate imperative but as a generational opportunity to rewrite our social contract.

“In Nigeria, the data is clear: too many young people are unemployed or underemployed, and too many women are shut out of emerging green sectors.

“A just transition must not only ask how we reduce emissions but also who gets the new jobs, trains the workforce, and shapes the policies.”