Sahara Power launches academy to train next generation of engineers

Sahara Power Group has launched the Sahara Power Technical and Innovation Academy (SPTIA), a new initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerian engineers with technical and operational skills required to support sustainable electricity generation across the country.

The programme will be implemented in partnership with Egbin Power and First Independent Power Limited, both members of Sahara Power Group and among Nigeria’s major power generation companies.

The academy admitted 50 graduate engineers into a 10-month training programme that combines classroom instruction with hands-on operational experience across power generation assets.

Participants will receive practical exposure to plant operations, maintenance systems and industry best practices, positioning them for careers within Nigeria’s power sector.

Kola Adesina described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future electricity workforce.

“We are committed to powering Nigeria not just through infrastructure, but through people. This Academy reflects our belief that the future of sustainable energy delivery must be driven by skilled, young professionals who understand the local operating environment,” he said.

According to Adesina, Egbin Power and FIPL provide strong operational platforms for developing technically competent engineers capable of addressing industry challenges.

The company said safety training would form a core part of the programme, with participants undergoing mandatory modules covering industry standards, safe work practices and scenario-based operational exercises designed to build a safety-first culture.

At the completion of the programme, top-performing trainees are expected to be deployed across Sahara Power Group’s businesses, including Egbin Power, FIPL and upstream operations, while others would enter the broader Nigerian electricity labour market.

Industry stakeholders say the initiative comes at a time when Nigeria’s power sector faces growing demand for technically skilled personnel amid ongoing infrastructure expansion, generation constraints and energy transition efforts.

Adesina also urged trainees to focus on innovation, teamwork and problem-solving as part of efforts to strengthen human capital development within the sector.

“We are here to truly and responsibly make a difference. We are here to look around our environment, and we are curious enough to see how we can make things better,” he said.