Sahara Foundation, a subsidiary of energy conglomerate Sahara Group, has unveiled its inaugural Sahara Regenerator Technical Programme (STRP) to promote capacity building among youths in Edo, Lagos and Rivers states.
The STRP will give beneficiaries a platform to develop technical skills in the installation and maintenance of meter and solar systems, says a statement on the company’s website on Sunday.
According to it, this will enhance energy access, combat climate change and promote economic development in Nigeria.
It said: “With unemployment rate standing at 33.3 per cent as of Q4 2020 and anticipated to hit 35 per cent this year, experts say Nigeria needs to provide ample entrepreneurial opportunities for its teeming youth population.
“Targeted at 120 youths with informal/minimal education, the project is also expected to help empower beneficiaries with resources to build sustainable businesses and ultimately become employers of labour.”
It said that Sahara Foundation would partner leading African Academy, the Energy Training Centre (ETC) and the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), to implement the programme.
The statement quoted Mrs Pearl Uzokwe, Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, as saying that the regenerator programme comes at a crucial time .
Uzokwe noted that a gap exists in the technical skills needed to implement efforts aimed at providing clean energy through solar and bridging Nigeria’s significant metering gap.
She said: “We are delighted at the opportunity to mould the next group of entrepreneurs in the power sector in line with Sahara Group’s vision to promote green energy and environmental sustainability.
“In 2020, Sahara Foundation revised its focus areas to two key pillars for all interventions going forward: Access to Energy and Promoting Sustainable Environments in alignment with our Group’s core vision.
“Participants will develop competencies in the installation of single and three phase meters in residential and small commercial premises.
“The Solar PV Installation Technician programme will train individuals to provide excellent service for residential and small commercial solar installations.”
Uzokwe said`that applications for STRP would be open from June 11 to June 25, 2021 and could be submitted online or picked up and submitted at Sahara Group’s offices in the designated states.
By Solomon Asowata
