From Campus to Career: TEA-LP Connects at EAIF 2024

The Transforming Energy Access – Learning Partnership (TEA-LP) was present at the 2024 annual Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF 2024) hosted in Lagos, Nigeria, from 21-23 May. EAIF is organised by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and is the top annual investment event for the renewable electrification sector, fostering business and investor partnerships for the purpose of sustainable electricity access, decarbonisation, economic growth and fighting against climate change. More than 1,500 participants were present, including over 400 in-person attendees and 1,100 virtual attendees.

TEA-LP was fortunate enough to be joined by some of our partner universities’ based in Nigeria and Ghana, with two representatives from each of the following universities:

• Kumasi Technical University (Addo Kwabena and Adam Misbawu)
• University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Cosmas Anyanwu and Patrick Akpan)
• Obafemi Awolowo University (Olusoji Olusola Ilori and Abiodun Momodu)
• Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (Misbahu Ladan Mohammed and Muazu Musa)
• Federal University of Technology, Owerri (Oguzie Emeka Emmanuel and Ifeanyi Chukwuka Onwuneme)

Additionally, TEA-LP was represented by Kai Forster (TEA-LP) and Ogheneruona Diemuodeke (University of Port Harcourt).

EAIF 2024 offered our partner universities the opportunity to match-make with industry professionals, fellow academics, and other key role players in the renewable energy sector. These match-making sessions encouraged productive collaboration, and gave our partners the chance to find opportunities to enrich their universities’ existing curricula, through identifying potential for student internships, funding, bursaries, product demonstrations, and practical work experience.

TEA-LP was also invited to join a panel discussion, titled “Konrad Adenauer Stiftung: Public-private dialogue on green job creation in West Africa”. Kai Forster represented TEA-LP on stage, and offered some insights into green job creation from the South African perspective, and spoke about some of the challenges that are hindering green job creation in the country. The panel discussion was moderated by Julia von Franz (ARE) and joined by Hon Solomon Maren Bulus (Nigerian Member of Parliament Network on Climate Action), Lukas Laible (Konrad Adenauer Stiftung), Cyprian Okolo (Fronius), and Monica Maduekwe (ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency). After the panel discussion, questions were invited from the audience, with one audience member asking about what is being done to enhance job opportunities and career development for women in Africa. Kai explained the Future Female Leaders in Energy course that was developed in collaboration by TEA-LP and the African Management Institute (AMI) – a course that targets women working in the energy and green energy sectors to equip them with the skills, knowledge, and values to progress their career and deepen their understanding of energy systems, leadership, and management.

Our partners who joined us at EAIF 2024 were also invited to be a part of a closed-door roundtable discussion focusing on the enhancing and deepening the dialogue between academia and industry. The roundtable discussion was moderated by Ogheneruona Diemuodeke and Jens Jaeger (ARE), and our partners were also joined by 10 industry professionals representing various companies and institutions operating in the sector. The discussion looked at the needs and gaps perceived by both academia and industry, and highlighted the current lack of dialogue that exists between the two parties, thereby limiting the opportunities made available to students to ensure that they are well-equipped and have the necessary practical experience and knowledge to productively contribute to the workplace upon successful graduation. Some of the potential solutions that emerged during the roundtable discussion were to offer students internship and work experience opportunities to gain experience, funding of postgraduate studies by companies who have a vested interest in the topic being studied (these companies can then use the results to their advantage), product demonstrations and on-site installations (such as a solar micro-grid) that students can interact with to boost their practical knowledge, and guest lecturers from industry who could offer insights into the unique challenges, opportunities, and landscape of the sector, which could help to more adequately prepare students for the transition from university to the workplace.

EAIF 2024 offered TEA-LP and its partners fantastic opportunities to expand the network further, while facilitating the sharing of knowledge, resource, and expertise and strengthening the existing  network and relationships that have been cultivated over the past few years. We thank our partners for making the time and effort to join us in Lagos, and we look forward to witnessing some of these opportunities coming to light in the near future.