The Lagos State Government has announced a partnership with a United States-based International Information Technology and Application Solar (IITA-Solar) to explore opportunities in the $50 billion global solar market.
The deal is capable of providing millions of new jobs and business opportunities after jobs in the sector reached 11.5 million globally last year.
Speaking in Lagos during the kick off of the global certification on solar technology training for unemployed youths, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs Yetunde Arobieke said that renewable energy has continued to bring socio-economic benefits by creating numerous jobs and business opportunities worldwide.
She expressed the government’s resolve to build capacities of youths to take advantage of such opportunities, including manufacturing, construction and installation, operation and maintenance, as the economy continues to battle growing electricity deficit.
The collaboration with IITA-Solar, she explained, was aimed at providing the training for a global certification in solar technology while NABCEP would equip the participants with the skill sets to install and maintain generation systems such as solar farms with voltage up to 16,000 volts associated with transformers.
She said 280 youths would benefit from the training, which would cover everything from how solar energy to installing solar panels. It involves both in-class and hands-on learning.
According to her, the global energy market is accelerating along with the unabated shift towards renewable energy.
The Programme Coordinator, IITA Edu, Toks Onabanjo, noted that solar power generation has emerged as the most promising market due to the swift adoption of alternative energy generation capacities.
This, according to him, has accelerated the market growth.
