By Tina Chinyere – Portharcourt
A total of 100 Ogoni youths have graduated from a three-month intensive solar installation and maintenance training organized by the Lekeh Development Foundation (LDF) with support from the United Nations Development Programme–Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF) Small Grant Programme.
The graduation ceremony, held on Saturday in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, marked the completion of a gender-inclusive renewable energy skills program aimed at empowering young people with sustainable livelihood opportunities and promoting clean energy adoption in Ogoniland.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Lekeh Development Foundation, Friday Nbani, said the initiative was designed to build the capacity of Ogoni youths and reduce unemployment through renewable energy skills development.
“We operate as a community-based organization monitoring issues of environmental degradation from oil spills to gas flaring and flooding all of which have destroyed livelihoods in Ogoni. We decided to respond through capacity building.
“This solar training is our pilot project, and we’re grateful to the UNDP-GEF Small Grant Programme for supporting our vision,” Nbani stated.
He explained that the choice of solar energy training was strategic, given Ogoni’s long history of pollution and loss of traditional means of livelihood such as fishing and farming.
“Our people were born into a degraded environment where fishing and farming no longer sustain families. Training youths in solar installation is a way of creating new, clean, and sustainable income sources while reducing dependence on fossil fuels,” he added.
Nbani further revealed that the foundation had helped the beneficiaries form a cooperative society, which will soon evolve into a registered solar company to enable them to operate independently and create job linkages with solar firms in Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, HRH Mene Godwin Apere, the Mene Bua and Paramount Ruler of Kaani, commended the foundation for its commitment to youth empowerment and sustainable development in Ogoni.
“I want to thank the Lekeh Foundation for ensuring that our youths are meaningfully engaged. Solar energy is a clean and renewable technology, and you are the first batch of trained installers in this region. Use this opportunity wisely, grow your skills, and train others,” the monarch advised.
Also speaking, Melody Barry-Yobo, Program Coordinator of the foundation, described the initiative as a success story that should be expanded to benefit more communities.
“This program has been exciting and transformative. These 100 youths are now solar entrepreneurs, ready to connect their communities to clean energy. We appeal to UNDP-GEF to scale up this project so more young people can benefit,” she said.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the life-changing opportunity.
One of them, Godsgift Stella, shared her experience:
“Before now, I knew nothing about electrical systems, but today I can confidently install and maintain solar panels. Being a woman in this field makes me proud because it shows that gender doesn’t limit what one can achieve.”
Another participant said the program gave him the confidence and skills to start a new career path, adding that it has provided hope for many youths who were previously idle.
The solar installation and maintenance training, which ran from August 6 to October 18, 2025, is part of Lekeh Development Foundation’s broader initiative to promote a just transition to renewable energy in the Niger Delta and empower communities affected by environmental pollution.
