By: African union

The African Energy Commission (AFREC) has launched a continental training program in Nairobi, Kenya, focused on Renewable Energy. This initiative is designed to assist African Union Member States in converting renewable energy concepts into practical, bankable, and buildable projects. The inaugural week-long session brought together 45 energy sector officials from across the continent to participate in an intensive curriculum.

The program is a key component of AFREC’s Comprehensive Capacity Building Programme and is delivered with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in collaboration with the Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC). Its primary objective is to strengthen the human and institutional capacity of African countries in the energy sector, addressing the gap between policy ambition and real-world implementation.

AFREC Executive Director, Mr. Rashid Ali Abdallah, emphasized that the training responds to the critical need to transform strong policy ambitions into viable project pipelines. He stated that the initiative accelerates the path "from policy to pipelines and from pipelines to megawatts," providing practitioners with the necessary tools, a peer network, and hands-on practice to develop financeable projects.

The practice-oriented curriculum engages participants in the full project lifecycle over five days. This includes resource assessment, technology selection, grid integration, policy, regulation, procurement, financing, and project management. To bridge theory with practice, the program incorporates concrete case studies, group work, and a field visit to the KENGEN Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant.

Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum endorsed the program's strategic importance, with Director of Renewable Energy Dan Marangu highlighting that building skills for energy sovereignty is essential for Africa’s development. This sentiment was echoed by representatives from Sweden and Strathmore University, who stressed the value of intra-African learning and the vast local talent available to harness the continent's abundant renewable resources.

The Nairobi session is the first in a series of planned trainings. A second cohort is scheduled to convene in Cairo, Egypt, in December, with the goal of extending the training to over 80 decision-makers from more than 45 countries in 2025. This demonstrates a structured plan for scaling the initiative across the continent.

AFREC plans to further expand the program's reach in 2026, including through online courses delivered via its Capacity-Building Information System (e-learning platform). This scaling strategy aims to broaden access and sustain cross-border skills sharing, ensuring the long-term impact of the capacity-building effort.