Experts, in partnership with key stakeholders, have launched a structured green economy fellowship designed to equip Nigerian youths with practical digital and renewable energy–related skills, as part of efforts to close the talent gap and expand employment opportunities in the sector.
The initiative, known as the Africa Policy Dialogues (APDs) Renewable Energy Digital Media Fellowship, is being driven by the Advocacy for Policy and Innovation in collaboration with the House Committee on Renewable Energy and the INCLUDE Knowledge Platform. It is structured as a two-phased, 12-week programme focused on preparing young Nigerians for emerging roles within the country’s growing green economy.
Speaking on the development, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Consultant and Project Coordinator, Aniebiet Obot, said the fellowship was designed to address critical gaps in both technical and soft skills within the sector. According to him, “the initiative is part of a two-phased 12-week fellowship programme aimed at enabling access to green economy jobs in Nigeria.”
The programme has already commenced with a carefully selected cohort of 22 participants, who underwent an intensive two-week foundational training. This phase focused on building core competencies in digital communication and media applications tailored to the renewable energy space.
Obot explained that participants were trained in key areas including Digital Media Basics for the Renewable Energy Sector, CV writing, the use of artificial intelligence in content creation, visual design, and blogging fundamentals. The sessions were facilitated by a team of experts, ensuring that the training combined both technical knowledge and practical application.
He noted that the curriculum adopts a Technical Vocational Educational Training approach, with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning. This, he said, is critical to preparing participants for real-world job demands. “The programme curriculum has a strong TVET focus, with a hands-on learning methodology that introduced participants to practical and job-ready digital media skills,” he said.
Highlighting the rationale behind the fellowship, Obot pointed to the persistent shortage of skilled professionals as a major barrier to the growth of Nigeria’s green economy. “One of the major challenges affecting the growth of the green economy sector in Nigeria is the shortage of skilled personnel, both in technical and soft skills,” he stated, adding that gaps in educational curricula and low awareness of green career pathways further compound the problem.
To bridge these gaps, the fellowship incorporates internship and apprenticeship opportunities. After completing the initial phase, participants will be placed in organisations within Nigeria’s green economy sector, where they will gain practical experience while receiving mentorship. Obot said, “participants will be assigned to organisations within Nigeria’s green economy sector, where they will apply the skills and knowledge acquired.”
The broader goal of the APD Fellowship is to equip at least 100 young people with specialised, job-ready skills that align with Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon economy. It also forms part of a wider push to institutionalise inclusive green job policies through frameworks such as the proposed National Inclusive Green Jobs Act and coordinated efforts under the National Green Skills and Employment Alliance.
