From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Oyakhilome Foundation, an NGO, has revealed plans to collaborate with the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) to train Nigerian youths on alternative energy generation to address issues of epileptic electricity supply in the country.
The founder of the foundation and President, All Progressives Congress (APC) United States National Youth President, Mr Oyakhilome Bello, made the disclosure while speaking on Tuesday in Abuja.
He spoke after the foundation’s officials met with some officials of the Department of Renewable Energy of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) headed by Mrs Adeola Eleri, a Director of the commission.
Some of the foundation’s partners from America, including Steve Council and Prof. Henry Whitlow of Clark Atlanta University equally made presentations at the meeting through Zoom on how to improve Nigeria’s Energy supply.
Bello disclosed that the foundation had trained over 100 youths on biogas and solar panel production to provide alternative energy sources in the country, adding that it was seeking strategic collaboration with the commission to enable it to do more.
Besides its other programmes, he noted, the foundation is poised to provide alternative energy sources to address the current erratic electricity supply in the country, especially with the constant grid collapse.
“Recall we were at the last Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Technology and Innovation Expo 2024 with the theme: “STI Solution to National Economic Challenge.
“Where we showcased solar panels produced by some of the over 100 youths we had trained on solar panel production and biogas from the country’s six geopolitical zines.
“We want Nigerians and the government to see biogas especially, as an alternative to generate electricity in the country, our plan is to invest more in biogas and solar production.
“We plan to take the project to rural communities and to impact the less privileged because that is our utmost desire, to touch lives and to change destiny.
“We have also been training youths on skills acquisition, but as an individual with the zeal to positively affect lives, we can’t do it alone if we must make the desired impact,” Bello said.
He further revealed that the foundation is already planning a strategic alliance with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation(UNIDO) to organise entrepreneurship development training programmes for Nigerian youths.
He explained that the reason the foundation was seeking collaboration with government ministries, agencies, and parastatals was because it believed that together, we could achieve more and make life better for Nigerians.
He added that the foundation was currently working on a collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
“We are also working with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment on entrepreneurship development training to achieve its goal,” he said.
Earlier, Eleri while welcoming officials of the foundation to the commission, said it was open to partnering with it in the interest of Nigerians and the development of the country.
She said in achieving its mandates, the commission had done pilot studies on renewable energy and had conducted and developed a roadmap for the energy sector.
“We have created awareness on renewable energy technology and what we have in the country,” she said, adding that the commission’s various departments deal with all aspects of energy.