On behalf of the Energy Commission of Nigeria together with Eauxwell Nigeria Limited, the Berlin-based Renewables Academy last week carried out a renewable energy training seminar in Abuja, Nigeria. Nearly 120 decision-makers and practitioners participated in the seminar. "Capacity building is very important because change is mainly caused by people. Therefore, if we are to change energy consumption patterns to utilize renewable energy, then people with appropriate knowledge and expertise are required" explained Prof. A.S. Sambo, Director-General and CEO of the Energy Commission of Nigeria.

The aim of the seminar for practitioners was to demonstrate sustainable energy solutions that are particularly suited to the specific national conditions in Nigeria and to give participants practical skills in their implementation. "The course was very useful for me because it gave me a practical understanding of the technology involved when dealing with renewable energy sources and their installation," said one participant after the course. Participants learned about the latest developments in renewable energy technologies, and received in-depth instruction in system design and sizing. Being very promising for Nigerian conditions, the seminar focused on designing photovoltaic and hybrid electricity systems.

The four day seminar for practitioners took place after an opening  conference for policy makers where high-level representatives from Nigerian and German institutions discussed technical, economic and political measures needed to significantly increase use of renewable in Nigeria. It became clear that capacity development is one key element of a successful implementation of renewable.