By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), in partnership with Verysol Energy and the FCT Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation, has commenced a solar energy maintenance and facility management training programme for its personnel.

This initiative aims to enhance the skills of NIS staff in operating and maintaining solar installations, ensuring energy sustainability and reducing reliance on traditional power sources.

The three-day training, held at the FCT Solar Hub Training Facility in Karu, Abuja, was inaugurated by Dr Kolawole Olubasola, Director of FCT Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Dr Olubasola highlighted the importance of building local capacity in solar energy solutions to eliminate quackery and promote self-reliance.

According to him, “the aim of such trainings is to ensure local content in Solar energy solutions and the need to eradicate quacks.”

In the same breath, Dr Chinwe Ogu, the Director of NABTEB, called on the Federal Government to enforce NABTEB modular trade certification in solar technology, emphasising the need for proper training before certification.

On his part, the Executive Director of Verysol Energy, Mr Olubiyi Odeinde, explained that the training aims to equip NIS officers with the technical knowledge to maintain solar installations across the Service’s facilities nationwide.

“The NIS has been going round all their facilities nationwide installing solar power systems. We approached them and said ‘Look it will be good for your personnel to be able to operate and maintain these installations systems.

“In that light, the essence of the training workshop is to strengthen the capacity of the officers in the maintenance and general information on solar energy to produce cleaner environment devoid of carbon emissions,” Mr. Olubiyi Odeinde added.

The programme is expected to serve as a catalyst for broader adoption of renewable energy in public institutions, aligning with global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote clean energy.

The training is part of NIS’s broader initiative to install solar power systems across its command and operational facilities nationwide.

Participants, including Assistant Controllers of Immigration, praised the initiative, acknowledging its potential to boost energy efficiency and productivity within the Service.

The programme also highlighted the growing role of the private sector in fostering human capital development in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector.

“The present development in acquiring solar knowledge is to curve the ultimate method of sourcing for electricity. We believe without electricity, work efficiency will be less than 40%,” added Mr. Abdullahi Jibril Boris, Works Department.