Employment Creation Opportunities From Solar Energy Investment

The Nigeria Directorate of Employment (NDE), has disclosed that there is a concerted effort by the Directorate to use solar energy to boost employment generation in Nigeria, The Nation reports.

A recent report released by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the   (REN21) shows that each year is seeing progressively more renewable energy generated than the last. Looking at the economic impact of renewables in 2014, the REN 21 report says that over the course of the year worldwide, 7.7 million jobs were created mostly in Chinese solar power production.

Renewable energy projects in many developing countries have demonstrated that it can contribute to poverty alleviation by providing the energy needed for creating businesses and employment.

The NDE Director General, Mallam Abubakar Mohammed, while speaking recently during a solar energy system training, said that NDE had been involved in environmental scanning to address unemployment over the years.

He said one of the steps taken was the training of youths in renewable energy, specifically solar energy systems, due to the energy crisis confronting Nigeria as a nation.

He said although Nigeria needs adequate supply of energy to drive its economy and power its domestic, economic, technological and social sectors, it has however been difficult to meet the energy needs of the citizenry by successive governments.

The NDE boss also stated that the directorate had produced 950 technicians in 19 states of the federation, adding 50 were resettled in Ilorin, Kwara State out of the 100 unemployed youths who were trained while another 50 were resettled in Akure, Ondo State, out of the 61 persons trained.