By Moses Patience Chat
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has concluded a one-month training and empowerment programme on solar power installation and maintenance for 100 youths in Niger State.
Held as part of the Board’s Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP), the graduation ceremony for the 100 solar-power trainees took place on March 16th, 2023 and drew participants from three zones of the State, including Minna, Bidda and Suleja. Valuechain findings reveal that, since its inception in 2010, NCDMB has engaged and trained over 13,000 Nigerians in various skill areas for graduates and artisans, resulting in over 12 million training man hours.
A further analysis of the figures indicates that, for the past 12 years beginning from 2010, the Board has trained an average of 1,083 people per annum in the acquisition of technical skills in different vocations across the country.
According to NCDMB, its latest training that held in Niger State was aimed at contributing to the Federal Government’s goal of reducing unemployment rate in the country, as well as achieving the Board’s mission of catalyzing growth in the linkage sectors of the oil and gas industry.
Speaking during the ceremony , the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, said the training was designed to provide the trainees with theoretical and practical knowledge and skills on the solar power value chain, including installation, maintenance, repair and entrepreneurship.
Wabote, who was represented by NCDMB’s General Manager of Planning, Research, and Development, Mr. Abdulmalik Hallilu, highlighted that the training was conducted as part of the Board’s youth empowerment programme.
He added that renewable energy, especially solar energy, is getting attention not only in Nigeria but around the world, and that this is because of the clamour for energy transition, which is the push to reduce the utilisation of fossil fuels and replace same with renewable energy sources.
The NCDMB helmsman explained that the programme was designed to make the students self-reliant by providing them with tool kits, two months of exit stipend and shops in their communities to start their business.
He also noted that the students will be supported to form cooperative societies, which would grant them access to Federal Government’s support funds that are associated with solar power deployment.
Wabote further advised the beneficiaries to hone their newly acquired skills, while encouraging them to show professionalism, quality assurance and innovation. The NCDMB Boss also urged them to create a customer database and maintain lasting partnerships so that their businesses would thrive.