Abuja: The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) has announced a collaboration with the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) to train 4,000 Nigerian youths in electricity meter installation. The Director-General of NAPTIN, Mr Ahmed Nagode, disclosed this during a one-day Stakeholders Engagement Workshop held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the workshop, themed ‘Building Bridges: Research, Internship and Innovation for a Sustainable Nigerian Power Sector,’ was organised by NAPTIN in collaboration with 5 Creators Ltd. Nagode explained that the initiative aims to equip young Nigerians with practical skills to install electricity meters across the country. He stated that the training programme is a pathway to employment and financial independence, contributing to the transformation of Nigeria’s power sector. Nagode mentioned the current metering gap of about seven million units and expressed confidence that the collaboration with PMI would address this shortfall.
He further noted that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had already been signed with PMI, with training expected to commence soon. The program will be conducted across all six geopolitical zones to ensure broad participation. The stakeholders’ engagement was deemed critical to identify and address the nation’s training needs in the power sector.
Nagode emphasised three core areas for discussion: job creation, research and development, and internship and industry linkage. He highlighted a major skills mismatch between graduates and the demands of the labour market, stressing the need for collaboration with universities to boost research and development. The third area of focus is fostering stronger internship opportunities and industry-academic linkages to bridge the gap between learning and practice.
He reiterated NAPTIN’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of solar photovoltaic installation, electrical works, and meter installation. The Managing Director of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Mr Aliyu Tahir, also spoke at the event, expressing his agency’s partnership with NAPTIN to improve workforce skills and promote excellence.
Declaring the workshop open, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Alhaji Mamman Mahmuda, commended NAPTIN for organising the engagement, noting its alignment with ongoing power sector reforms. Represented by Mr Babaumara Mustapha, Director of Distribution at the ministry, Mahmuda stressed the urgent need to address the human capacity deficit in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). He mentioned that NAPTIN, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has developed a curriculum for training maintenance personnel, which stakeholders should fully leverage.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders from the power industry, academia, and other technical experts.
