Invest in Talent Development – Lekoil Executive

Employers in the renewable sector of Nigeria’s energy, oil and gas industry have been urged to invest more in talent development in order to tackle the dearth of talent required for the critical roles in the country’s energy transition journey.

This call was made by Kike Fajemirokun, the General Manager, Human Resources & Admin at Lekoil Nigeria Limited, who noted that this issue is not solely financial but inherently human.

In an article titled Africa’s Renewable Energy Future: The Talent Emergency, Fajemirokun stated, “…by 2030, the EU is projected to generate at least 42.5% of their energy needs from renewable sources; exceeding the current capacity twice over, as outlined in the Renewable Energy Directive. Governments the world over have begun to pay closer attention to their sustainability obligations now more than ever before, even as the Paris 2030 deadline gleams.”

While urging employers not to see investment in talent as a zero-sum game, the human resources manager said, “happy workers are productive workers” is not cliche – it is indeed a fact. According to IRENA, Africa’s clean energy transformation has the potential to create 8 million jobs, but we are not yet equipped for those jobs. The talent emergency is particularly acute in the renewable energy sector, where talent still remains concentrated in the West, despite the abundance of enthusiastic, yet unskilled candidates in Africa.”

Fajemirokun, who acknowledged the brain drain that has forced a vast majority of highly skilled workers to migrate, stated that the concensus transition in global energy systems is underway, and investments are being redirected to meet this opportunity in the EU, Australia, China, and Japan, with Africa beginning to respond to this shift. According to her, despite historical cost-sensitivity, the demand for steady, sustainable energy sources now sparks greater interest, driving notable investments in renewables.

She added, “As global mobility becomes more fluid, so too does career mobility. It is no longer enough to hire the best, if we cannot keep them. One study found that 77% of current renewables professionals were open to a career shift away from the sector, and this goes to show that staying ahead of the competition for top talent would require placing a priority on rewarding high achievers from the energy industry, with emphasis on high quality training and work-life balance.

“Ultimately, achieving global concensus energy targets will require significant strategic investment in talent. While seeking to meet the energy transition head on, we must acknowledge that it is easier to attract and retain highly skilled workers when their human fulfillment needs are met. If Africa strengthens local infrastructure, boosts research, and develops a culture that values and rewards contributions to renewable energy, we can then be said to have taken the crucial steps to tackle the challenge of attracting these young professionals back home to pursue compelling careers in the sector.”