Lagos plans energy training institute

The Lagos State Government is to establish an energy training institute to supply the manpower needs of the developing power sector.
The Commissioner for Energy Resources, TaofeekTijani, announced this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said the state was establishing the energy institute to bridge the gap available for increase in opportunities in the emerging power sector.
“Really, as the sector is developing, we are having skills gap. So many workers of the defunct PHCN are ageing and are now going out, and that is creating a deficiency. We need to bring in young people to the sector; we need to train them and give them all the skills,’’ he said.

He said the state government saw an opportunity in all these, informing its plan to set up the institute.
Tijani also said the privitisation of the power sector had opened an avalanche of opportunities that could only be maximised by skilled personnel.
He said the institute would produce a new generation of power professionals to fully tap the anticipated opportunities in the developing sector.
The commissioner said the institute, to be sited in Ikeja, would attract young graduates with science background who would be trained on the workings of the sector.

He said the state government would partner some corporate organisations with interest in the sector to fund some of the institute’s programmes, adding that government was yet to decide on its take-off date.
He however, assured that government was doing its best to make the project a reality as soon as possible.
He noted that the state government believed firmly in the emerging power sector and would support investors in the sector.
He said that the government established three independent power plants (IPPs) in Alausa, Adiyan and Lagos Island was part of its effort to improve power supply in the state.
He said the state had planned a 8.8 megawatts power plant in Mainland and another six megawatts plant in Lekki to further boost power supply.

“We have about three IPPs that are operational now. Two more are coming on board; one at Mainland that will service the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and some of the old GRA infrastructure. Another one in Lekki will take care of institutions in Lekki, the water schemes and those in Victoria Island, as well as street lights in those areas. Both IPPs will deliver about 14.8 megawatts, and we are sure the delivery of these projects will further improve supply.”
He said the government was aware of the power challenges faced by businesses in the state and was working with power investors to address them.