The African Energy Commission (AFREC) Trains Africa’s Project Builders: Continental trainings on Renewable Energy Project Planning, Development and Financing
The African Energy Commission (AFREC) has launched a new continental training on Renewable Energy in Nairobi today aimed at helping African Union (AU) Member States turn renewable energy concepts into bankable and buildable projects while fostering peer-to-peer knowledge exchange in Africa. The inaugural session brought together 45 energy sector officials from across the continent for an intensive, week-long course on planning, development and financing for renewable energy projects.
The programme, delivered with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and in collaboration with Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC), comes as part of AFREC’s Comprehensive Capacity Building Programme designed to support human and institutional capacity of African countries.
Opening the session in Nairobi today, the AFREC Executive Director, Mr. Rashid Ali Abdallah, said the initiative responds to the need to convert strong policy ambitions into viable project pipelines “We are accelerating the path from policy to pipelines and from pipelines to megawatts,” he said. “This training gives practitioners the tools, a trusted peer network, and needed hands-on practice to turn promising ideas into financeable and operable projects.”
Hosted with the support of the Government of Kenya, the training convened participants from ministries in charge of energy for an intensive, practice-oriented curriculum aligned to national, regional and continental priorities. Over five days, participants engage the full project cycle of resource assessment and planning; technology selection and grid integration; policy and regulation; procurement and financing; and project management and operations—through short lectures, concrete case studies and group work. To translate lessons into real world applications, participants will also undertake a field visit to KENGEN Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant, one of Africa’s most significant geothermal developments.
Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum highlighted the strategic importance of the programme. “Building the skills to pursue energy sovereignty is essential for Africa’s development,” said Dan Marangu, Director of Renewable Energy. “Kenya is committed to working with AFREC and the African Union, to accelerate the continent’s transition to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all.”
Representatives from Sweden underscored the value of intra-African learning. “Every country represented here brings unique experiences and solutions shaped by its own realities. Learning from these diverse perspectives is essential, because the expertise needed to drive Africa’s energy transition already exists within the continent,” said Ms. Ulrika Åkesson, Counsellor at the Embassy of Sweden in Kenya. “AFREC’s role in connecting Member States ensures that lessons learned in one country can inspire and guide progress in another.”
Meanwhile, Strathmore University emphasized the importance of local capacity. “Africa has abundant renewable resources and the talent to harness them,” said Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation. “SERC has trained more than 5,000 renewable energy experts who are now driving change in Africa.”
The Nairobi session is the first in series. A second cohort will convene in Cairo, Egypt, from 15 to 19 December, extending the training to more than 80 decision-makers from over 45 countries in 2025. AFREC plans to scale the initiative further in 2026, including through online courses delivered via its Capacity-Building Information System (e-learning platform) to broaden access and sustain cross-border skills sharing.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
