AU, Agency Collaborate With MOMAS On €3m Centre For Technical Manpower

Indigenous meter and equipment manufacturing industry MOMAS Group, in partnership with the African Union Development Agency and the Skills Initiative for Africa, has flagged off the construction of a €3m technical, vocational and educational training centre for electro-technology in Ogun State to expand Nigeria’s technical manpower, especially in the electricity sector.

The chairman of MOMAS Group, Kola Balogun, said the firm secured the funding through SIFA’s Funding Window 1, targeted at large-scale skills development interventions.

Speaking at the event, the senior special assistant to the president on Industrial Training and Development, Adamson Ayinde, described the initiative as a model for private-sector-driven skills expansion, especially within the power sector.

Ayinde said the project would help fill critical manpower gaps in smart electricity metering, electrical maintenance, renewable energy systems and electro-technology safety practices.

He commended Balogun for his “patriotism, foresight and commitment to national development”, noting that MOMAS had exceeded the mandatory 10 per cent counterpart funding requirement.

According to him, the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s goal of reducing dependence on foreign artisans while building a technologically competent workforce.

“This centre is a promise to our youths. It represents opportunity, empowerment and hope for young Nigerians seeking employment or entrepreneurship,” he said.

AUDA-NEPAD representative, Gemechu Kusa, said the centre marks the beginning of a transformative skills-training hub that would equip young Africans with life-changing competencies.

“Technical and vocational education is not a second choice, but a first-class pathway to opportunity, dignity and sustainable livelihoods,” he said.

Kusa added that the centre’s focus on electrotechnology and renewable energy, particularly solar photovoltaic systems, would help address youth unemployment while easing Nigeria’s energy challenges.

He noted that the institution would develop modern curricula aligned with national standards and offer scholarships to ensure inclusivity.

In her goodwill message, the president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Margaret Oguntala, commended MOMAS for what she described as a timely intervention.

“The nation is in desperate need of skilled manpower to drive infrastructure development, industrial growth and technological advancement,” she said, calling for strong collaboration from government and industry stakeholders.

Balogun, in his remarks, said the centre would help lift young Nigerians out of poverty by equipping them with relevant and employable skills.

He disclosed that the support from NEPAD and the German government would facilitate the procurement of advanced training equipment and create opportunities for Nigerian technicians to work abroad.

According to him, the centre would support Nigeria’s renewable energy goals by training personnel in solar installations, storage systems and other clean-energy technologies.

Balogun said construction of the building would be completed within 12 months, with NEPAD directly funding the contractor. The aim, he noted, is to develop an internationally recognised institution capable of producing top-tier engineers and technicians.

The group managing director of MOMAS, Hammed Abiodun, described the groundbreaking as a milestone for the organisation.

“This recognition by the German government is a testament to our long-standing commitment to adding value to society, especially the youth,” he said.

Abiodun added that global trends show that the future lies in skills acquisition and that MOMAS intends to position Nigeria’s youth population for meaningful contribution to national development