Tinubu inaugurates Africa’s first renewable energy college in Kogi

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday inaugurated Africa’s first renewable energy training institution, the Barefoot Renewable Energy College, Osara (BARECKS), alongside the Green Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Pilot Plant in Kogi State.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu described the facility, located at the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, as a world-class institution built to international standards and designed to drive Nigeria’s clean energy transition.

The President said the college would address the country’s shortage of skilled technical manpower in the renewable energy sector by training technicians, installers, operators and maintenance professionals with practical expertise. He added that graduates would earn internationally recognised certifications, positioning Nigeria as a leader in renewable energy capacity development across Africa.

According to Tinubu, the institution was modelled after India’s successful vocational renewable energy colleges, which empowered ordinary citizens to become solar engineers, expressing confidence that the same model would transform communities across Nigeria.

He noted that while Nigeria is richly endowed with energy resources, the challenge has been translating those resources into electricity and employment, stressing that the new college would help bridge that gap through practical skills development.

The President called on development partners, private sector organisations, international agencies and research institutions to collaborate with the college in expanding research, innovation and technical training. He also commended the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo for their roles in delivering the project.

Speaking earlier, Gov. Ododo described the inauguration as a milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of sustainable development through investment in human capital. He said the institution would strengthen the nation’s energy sector, attract investments and create economic opportunities for host communities.

Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, said the project underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to building a knowledge-driven economy, adding that developing skilled professionals in renewable energy was essential to achieving Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy.

The Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said the college was equipped with smart classrooms, battery energy laboratories, a mini-grid simulation centre, energy efficiency laboratories and other modern training facilities to support renewable energy research and workforce development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Also speaking, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr Ahmed Anaje, welcomed the project, saying it would equip young Nigerians with valuable technical skills while contributing to national development. He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for locating the institution in Kogi State.