December 2025

The African Energy Commission (AFREC) has convened the second session of its continental training on Renewable Energy Project Planning, Development and Financing in Cairo, scaling up efforts to strengthen Africa’s capacity to translate renewable energy strategies into bankable and implementable projects.

The session, running from 15 – 19 December, and delivered with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in collaboration with Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC), builds on the inaugural session held in Nairobi in November, bringing together more than 40 senior officials and technical experts from African Union Member States.

Hosted by the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Cairo training covers the full renewable energy project lifecycle, including planning and resource assessment, financing and procurement, construction, and grid integration. The training reflects a growing demand among AU Member States for practical skills to move renewable energy projects from policy ambition to construction and operation.

Opening the session, Mr. Rashid Ali Abdallah, Executive Director of AFREC, emphasised that Africa’s energy transition now depends as much on delivery capacity as on policy commitments. “Africa’s energy future will not be built by ambition alone, but by people equipped with the right skills to turn plans into projects,” said Mr. Abdallah, noting that limited technical and institutional capacity remains a binding constraint to renewable energy deployment.

Meanwhile, Major General Mohamed Osama Essa, the Undersecretary for International Cooperation and Agreements, Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt lauded the training as a direct investment in enhancing collective expertise in Africa. “In the journey toward a truly modern African energy system, our most precious resource is our Human Capital. This training is not merely about transferring technical knowledge; it is about fostering a new generation of African energy leaders who are equipped to navigate the complexities of grid modernisation, renewable energy integration, and climate change mitigation.”

The Renewable Energy training forms part of AFREC’s Comprehensive Capacity Building Programme, a flagship initiative aligned with its mandate as the African Union’s specialized energy agency. AFREC’s continental skills assessments highlight that barriers to renewable energy deployment are not only financial, but also technical, institutional, and procedural.

Designed as a practice-oriented programme, the Cairo training combines technical sessions with interactive case studies, group work, and a field visit to a renewable energy facility, allowing participants to examine applied project design, implementation, and operational challenges firsthand. This hands-on approach is intended to bridge the gap between theory and practice and to support immediate application in national contexts.

Egypt offers a particularly relevant setting for the second cohort. Its experience in scaling renewable energy generation, integrating variable renewables into national grids, and strengthening enabling frameworks provides valuable and transferable lessons for countries at different stages of the energy transition.

With the Nairobi and Cairo cohorts combined, more than 80 African energy professionals will have been trained under the programme in 2025. AFREC plans to further expand the programme in 2026 through additional in-person sessions and online delivery via its Capacity-Building Information System, extending continental access and supporting sustained cross-border skills exchange.

Through this growing portfolio of capacity-building initiatives, AFREC continues to position itself as a continental hub supporting African Union Member States in advancing reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy as a foundation for inclusive growth and long-term development.

About AFREC

The African Energy Commission (AFREC) is the African Union’s specialized technical agency mandated to develop energy policies, strategies, research and plans for Africa’s energy sector, recommend their implementation, and support Member States through practical tools, capacity building and knowledge exchange.

About Sida

The Government of Sweden, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), supports AFREC’s capacity-building agenda to strengthen institutional capabilities, improve project bankability and catalyze sustainable energy investments that advance access, affordability and climate goals in Africa.

About Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC)

Strathmore University’s Energy Research Centre is a leading African applied research and training institution focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency. SERC co-develops and delivers AFREC’s curriculum and practical toolkits to ensure training outcomes translate into real-world projects.

This press release was first published here.

The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in Kenya operates within an increasingly complex and evolving context. Climate variability, a growing reliance on solar-powered systems, expanding humanitarian demands, and persistent technical and institutional capacity gaps continue to shape the sector’s performance. In addition, many professionals in the WASH sector acquire skills primarily through on-the-job experience, which, while valuable, can sometimes result in uneven outcomes, especially in critical areas such as operations and maintenance.

To reduce these uneven outcomes, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Strathmore Energy Research Centre, conducted a five-day training from 15th to 19th December 2025 to improve the quality, reliability, and sustainability of WASH services in humanitarian and development settings. The programme targets technical staff from WASH humanitarian partners and the government and aims to build institutional and individual capacity to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies. The training included Water Services Department Directors from the counties of  Wajir, Baringo, Busia, Garissa, Homabay, Kisumu, Isiolo, Kajiado, Marsabit, Mandera, Samburu, Turkana, Tana River, and West Pokot. The training modules included: Fundamentals in Electricity, Energy, and Motor; Groundwater and Borehole Systems; Hydraulics and Pump Performance; Integrated System Design; and Power Backup and Electrical Integration.

Anne Atieno Kombija, Director of Water Services Provision, County Government of Kisumu, reiterated the significance of the training, noting that “in many African countries, the sustainability of WASH facilities, particularly in rural areas, remains a major challenge, further compounded by the increasing impacts of climate change.” Reflecting on her professional practice, she added, “For a long time, I designed WASH systems without fully considering source protection as a core component of sustainable design. This training addressed that gap by equipping me with the skills needed to design sustainable, climate-resilient WASH facilities that integrate long-term functionality with climate-proofing considerations.”

“This training was an eye-opener for all participants,” said Macharia Robinson, Director of Water Services, County Government of Samburu. “During one of the sessions on diagnosing challenges using a problem tree, I clearly identified gaps in my previous design approaches. By transforming the problem tree into an objective tree, I gained practical insights that I look forward to applying upon my return to Samburu. I plan to develop a model community-level water project that will be a true game changer and deliver lasting impact.”

This initiative underscores that improving WASH service quality relies primarily on strengthening the capacity of existing professionals. By shifting the focus from employability to institutional and workforce upskilling, the programme better reflects the realities of WASH service delivery in Kenya. The training has established a strong foundation for a structured, multi-level capacity development pathway to support counties, humanitarian partners, and national institutions in delivering reliable, safe, and climate-resilient WASH services.

This article was written by Anne Njeri, Communications Officer, Strathmore Energy Research Centre.

From November 25th to December 10th, the Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC), in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), successfully conducted a training of trainers (TOT) for 24 engineers who serve as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) instructors, work in private companies and the national government.

The key outcome of the training was to equip the trainers with technical solar photovoltaic (PV) competencies and pedagogical capacity. The curriculum blended essential theory with hands-on practical sessions, site visits, and guided action-planning activities, covering electrical fundamentals, PV system design, installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and competency-based training methodologies. The trainers visited SOLARGEN for a complete, start-to-finish demonstration of a professional solar installation, offering invaluable, real-world context on modern Kenyan system practices.

At the end of the two-week programme, every student had developed a concrete action plan, said Abdulkadir Ahmed Ali Mohammed, Solar PV Instructor at the Banadir Training Institute, Somalia. “The action plans we have developed will enable each of us to transform the lives of young people in our communities by accelerating youth employment and expanding the use of renewable energy.”

On his part, Hamud Mohamed Farah, Chief Technical Officer, National Energy Cooperation of Somalia (NESCOM), said the training of trainers has given him comprehensive knowledge on successfully executing a complete solar PV project. “I learnt how to design effective solar PV systems using the correct tools, understanding the optimal installation locations in Somalia based on performance and finally how to structure and mount the physical system,” said Hamud.

Hamud receives his certificate from Dr. Churchil Saoke, Director SERC.

During the closing ceremony, Fuhumiko Suzuki, JICA, emphasized the importance of replicating this training for others upon their return to Somalia. “The training you received was not for you to become a better technical expert but an excellent trainer so that you can pass the knowledge to others.”

Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation at Strathmore University, urged the trainers “not to be a mere observer but become an agent of change,” further adding the essential reminder that “before being a student, remember you are a human being. Put the common good above everything else.”

After two and a half weeks of intensive training, the TOT concluded with a post-training assessment and certification, with participants demonstrating improved technical understanding and readiness to deliver quality solar PV training to the youth in Somalia.

May all 24 engineers steadfastly carry the torch and continue illuminating the path for future generations in Somalia.

Article written by Anne Njeri, Communications Officer, Strathmore Energy Research Centre.

Over the next three years, the African SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy Networks) project will establish Community Energy Hubs by transforming nine schools across Kangemi and Kibera into revenue-generating centres after school hours. These Hubs will leverage clean energy solutions to power and host activities such as laundromats, adult learning classes, computer hubs, and solar water pumping services. The initiative aims to promote meaningful collaboration and stimulate shared prosperity within the surrounding communities.

The selected schools include:

Kangemi:

~Prosperity Junior Centre

~Wisedorme Multipurpose Centre School

~Tumaini Hope Centre

~Kanyorosha Self-Help Group

~Kangemi Resource Centre

Kibera:

~Mashimoni Squatters Primary School

~Chrisco Educational Centre

~Joysprings Educational Centre

~Raila Educational Centre

Co-Creation workshops

In November, the project, led by the University of Nottingham, conducted its first round of co-creation workshops with the research team, teachers, and key stakeholders from the nine schools. Dr. Jordan Blanchard Lafayette, Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, guided the development of energy timetables to help schools plan and document their energy usage. These timetables will ensure that schools’ energy needs are met during learning hours, while surplus energy is reserved for income-generating activities in the evenings.

Dr. Vincenzo Rossi, also a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, facilitated discussions on social impact measurement approaches to track and verify the tangible outcomes of the Community Energy Hubs. The workshops included field visits to all nine schools.

From Right: Esther Ndirangu, Project Manager, Kangemi Resource Centre and Nina Mugure, Project Manager, Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship (WISEe), listening on.

The training team comprised of Prof. Charles Bradshaw-Smith (SMARTKLUBS), Dr. Lorna Kiamba (Sustainable Development, University of Nottingham), Prof. Lucelia Rodrigues (Sustainable and Resilient Communities, University of Nottingham), Ali Buckland (PromptBI), Prisca Atieno, Hassan Bhatti, and Eric Akumu from the Strathmore Energy Research Centre.

Next milestone

The Strathmore Energy Research Centre, in collaboration with Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship (WISEe), will begin installing 8kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at Wisedorme Multipurpose Centre School and Prosperity Junior Centre. Each system is valued at approximately KES 1.3 million.

This pilot project aims to deliver immediate benefits by powering computer labs, enabling clean electric cooking, and providing lighting for students during the first term of 2026. Once operational, the schools are expected to begin realising significant cost savings by eliminating grid electricity expenses and reducing or eliminating daily firewood purchases. The transition to clean cooking will also improve the health of kitchen staff and pupils who are often exposed to smoke during meal preparation.

Data collected from this pilot phase will guide the expansion of solar PV systems to support broader, income-generating community activities in Kangemi and Kibera.

Project overview

Awarded on 31 January 2025 under UKRI1321 Africa SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy Networks), the project brings together leading institutions, including University of Nottingham (UK), Strathmore University, implemented by the Strathmore Energy Research Centre (Kenya), SmartKlub (UK), Edu-Cater Global (UK/Kenya), Map Kibera, Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship (WISEe) and Prompt BI.

The project is co-led by Prof. Lucelia Rodrigues, Head of the Department of Architecture & Built Environment, University of Nottingham, and Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Strathmore University.

Article written by Anne Njeri, Communications Officer, Strathmore Energy Research Centre.