By 2075, one in three people of working age globally will be African, according to the World Bank, a staggering demographic shift that could define the century. Yet, while 12 million young people enter Africa’s labour market each year, only about three million formal jobs are created, the African Development Bank reports. This structural gap leaves millions without viable employment pathways, even as the renewable energy sector promises to generate 3.3 million jobs by 2030 and over 100 million by 2050.

But jobs alone are not enough. The continent faces a critical skills mismatch: young Africans are not being equipped with the training and industry access required to seize opportunities in the clean energy transition. Most universities lack undergraduate renewable energy programmes, and early-stage renewable energy companies are reluctant, or financially unable, to take risks on untested graduates.

The Clean Energy Catalyst (CEC) Program, designed and led by youth, offers a novel apprenticeship model to bridge this gap. This article explores how the CEC initiative connects young people, training institutions and industry partners to build a skilled workforce ready to power Africa’s transition.

The energy transition and Africa’s youth challenge
Across Africa, renewable energy investments are growing rapidly. Nigeria’s $750mn Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project, funded by the World Bank, is just one example of large-scale clean energy commitments.

Yet investment does not automatically translate into employment. Two barriers persist. First, the scale of job creation lags behind the demand for work. Second, many roles remain vacant due to the absence of adequately skilled candidates. A 2023 survey by the African Youths in Energy Network (AYEN) across six Nigerian universities revealed that none offered undergraduate degrees in renewable energy, although all provided adjacent courses such as electrical or chemical engineering. This gap is replicated across much of Africa, limiting the ability of graduates to transition directly into clean energy roles.

Moreover, early-stage solar and clean energy companies, which are often underfunded, cannot absorb the costs of training raw talent. Ironically, this results in a perverse outcome: jobless youth on one side, and frustrated product demand on the other. Bridging this divide requires new models that prioritise both employability and inclusivity.

Evidence from a 2025 pilot study suggests that the CEC Program represents such a model, demonstrating that tailored youth-led approaches can simultaneously advance workforce development and energy access.

Inside the Clean Energy Catalyst Program
AYEN is a youth-led organisation founded in 2022 and legally registered in Nigeria in 2024. It has already reached over 3,000 young people through advocacy, dialogue and training initiatives. It has members from seven African countries and has carried out in-person programmes in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Namibia. Building on this foundation, the Clean Energy Catalyst Program was conceived to directly address the employment-skills mismatch.

The CEC model is built around three pillars: youth, training partners and industry partners. Unlike conventional internship schemes, AYEN manages recruitment, training and stipend payments to industry partners, reducing their risk while ensuring youth receive both technical and employability training.

First, we launched an open call for applications through our social media platforms, and also reached out to young people already in our database. Over 300 applied. Applicants were evaluated based on their CVs and responses to essay questions. Entry was discipline-agnostic, although most participants studied engineering, with a few from law and other fields.

From that pool, 50 graduates were selected for a one-week intensive training course. That was delivered on 7–12 April 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, at the headquarters of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), which acted as training partner.

The curriculum combined technical modules, such as solar PV systems, energy storage and energy auditing, with business and financial modelling for solar enterprises. Solar firms were actively involved in shaping the training, ensuring it reflected real market needs.

Project participants received an up-close introduction to solar panels 

Photo: Clean Energy Catalyst

After the training, the top 11 candidates were chosen by CEC and ECN for placement on three-month paid internships with solar companies, where they gained hands-on exposure to real-world installations, energy audits and client management. Industry partners were SAF-AGA Renewables, TorchMark Group, EMVC and Asolar.

The interns took on different roles, depending on company needs. At SAF-AGA Renewables, a law graduate supported legal and partnership work, including reviewing community and policy agreements. At EMVC, interns worked on technical aspects such as assembling EVs. At TorchMark Group, interns contributed across departments, including energy audits and solar system design.

AYEN worked with companies to shape internship structures – for example, helping them meet gender balance goals – but the companies themselves defined the specific tasks. Internships ran from June to August 2025.

AYEN paid interns for their time with a monthly stipend. Companies that chose to retain interns reimbursed AYEN for the stipends, making the model cost-neutral for early-stage firms.

So far, five interns have been retained, and CEC is still in discussions with a company about possible retention. Some interns could not stay because they returned to higher education or relocated; others were not retained mainly due to the timing of company projects. One industrial partner said it was impressed by the interns but was not ready to make hires without clearer project pipelines.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive: one host company requested additional interns. A trainee reflected: ‘Before this programme, I struggled to enter the clean energy space. This gave me my first real break.’

Unexpected ripple effects also emerged. Some companies expressed willingness to co-invest in future training rounds, while participants reported increased confidence in pursuing careers in energy entrepreneurship.

What makes this model work
Three features underpin the CEC Program’s success. First, it is a youth-led design. Conceived by young professionals who have themselves faced barriers to entry, the programme resonates with its target audience and ensures relevance. Many of us have personally experienced the challenges of finding internships. For example, the author had to relocate to Lagos and visit many companies before securing an internship through a referral. As part of our previous projects, such as our university movie screening tour, we conducted surveys and had conversations with young people about their employment struggles. The results shaped the Clean Energy Catalyst model.

Second, it achieves early industry buy-in. We also engaged solar companies in the design from the start. That guaranteed both the availability of placements, and also alignment between training and employer expectations.

Third, the programme has an employability-first focus. Beyond technical training, CEC prioritises internships and career pathways, addressing the fundamental question youth often ask: What comes after training?

Internships are common in Nigeria, but what makes this model different is that AYEN pays the stipends, removing the up-front financial burden from companies for interns who are not certain to be the right fit. This gives young people a chance to prove themselves without firms taking on financial risk.

The model is both scalable and sustainable. In total, the programme cost N10mn (€5,700/£4,960), funds which came in the form of a grant.

Pilot project participants with trainers at the Nigeria Energy Commission in Abuja, Nigeria, in April 2025

Photo: Clean Energy Catalyst

Lessons learned and challenges faced
Despite its successes, the pilot experienced challenges. Only 40 of 50 confirmed participants attended the training, underscoring the need for stronger pre-training engagement.

The compressed one-week training timeframe limited practical exposure, suggesting future cohorts should extend technical sessions to a minimum of two weeks. (With more time, we would expand the curriculum to go deeper into system design, installation, and practical sessions for financial models and sector-specific technical skills.)

Funding constraints restricted internship stipends and length, requiring AYEN to prioritise top performers, and even they were limited to just a three-month internship.

Yet these challenges also illuminated solutions: structured mentorship, female-focused scholarships and blended digital modules can expand reach and inclusivity while keeping costs manageable. Extending internships to six months, as recommended by industry partners, could further deepen learning and retention.

Looking ahead: scaling the solution
Requests to replicate the programme are already emerging from other Nigerian states and countries such as Ghana, Namibia and Uganda. With our training partner ECN operating training centres in all six of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, nationwide expansion is feasible.

Scaling also requires broadening industry partnerships to secure diverse placements, while digital platforms can extend training access to rural and underserved communities. Crucially, as more companies participate, the cost-sharing model ensures financial sustainability.

If expanded, the CEC could train thousands annually, reshaping Africa’s clean energy workforce and accelerating a just energy transition.

In conclusion, Africa’s energy future hinges on its youth. Without equipping them with the skills and opportunities to lead, the continent risks deepening both unemployment and energy poverty. The Clean Energy Catalyst Program demonstrates how a youth-led, partnership-driven model can close the skills gap, unlock green jobs and accelerate universal energy access.

• Further reading: 'Inspiring clean energy initiatives in the Global South.’  Finalists in the 2025 Ashden Awards give a unique insight into what is being done to cut emissions and tackle climate threats across the world. Find more about some of the outstanding initiatives, mostly in the Global South, by innovators from the public, private and non-profit sectors, and the lessons that can be learned by their example.
• Solar panel imports into Africa rose by 60% in the 12 months to June 2025, according to new analysis of data on China’s solar panel exports from energy think tank Ember. The data shows the rise happening across Africa, at a scale to impact the electricity systems of many countries.