Campus meets climate

Hey,

Welcome to Green Jobs Rising!

On the 27th of last month, we published a newsletter titled Whats missing? where we talked about the skills gap in the green sector.

The continent continues to face a significant skills gap in the green economy, limiting its ability to fully unlock and benefit from this transition.

A day after we covered this topic, our sister newsletter Mobility Rising, a publication that covers news, data, and insights for professionals in Africa's vehicle sector, covered this story: Electric motorcycle company Spiro signed an MoU with Rwanda-based Mount Kigali University (MKU) to advance training, research, and innovation in electric mobility.

And we thought, let’s explore collaborations in Africa geared towards creating a workforce ready to tackle the green transition.

How many such collaborations in Africa are available that young people can take advantage of? A little research led me to this:

• Covenant University (Nigeria) & EV Planet Global Limited

  In March 2025, EV Planet Global Limited signed an MoU with Covenant University to:
  • Send Covenant’s Mechanical Engineering faculty to China for specialised training in electric vehicle technology.
  • Integrate EV-focused courses into the University’s curriculum.
  • Establish an on-campus EV research and training center through a joint venture, offering immersive hands-on learning experiences.

• University of Kigali, Murang’a University of Technology (Kenya) & Ecomobilus Technologies

  In December 2024, the University of Kigali signed an MoU with both Murang’a University of Technology and Ecomobilus Technologies Limited to:
  • Develop and implement e-mobility innovations in Rwanda and the region.
  • Set up shared research facilities and training programs.
  • Drive academic and industry collaboration in sustainable transport.

• Strathmore University (Kenya) & ECTA Kenya Ltd

  Strathmore University teamed up with ECTA Kenya Ltd (which includes Subaru Kenya and JAC Kenya) in a strategic partnership designed to accelerate electric vehicle innovation and sustainability.

  While the collaboration is framed in terms of innovation, it likely encompasses research, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building components.

• Africa Center of Excellence in Future Energies & Electrochemical Systems (ACE-FUELS) – Nigeria

  Based at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), ACE-FUELS was established under the World Bank Africa Centers of Excellence program (2019).

  It provides knowledge in renewable and clean energy sources to address inadequate energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa.

  Offers MSc, PhD, and certificate programs in renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, hydrogen), carbon capture, electrochemical systems, and more.

• Strathmore Energy Research Centre – Kenya

  Accredited by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) to offer training for renewable energy professions.

  Participants are examined and licensed as qualified technicians by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).

• Renewable Energy Solutions for Africa Foundation (RES4Africa) & University of Pretoria – South Africa

  In 2023, the MoU established a framework for training initiatives, studies, programmes, and advocacy activities to accelerate renewable energy uptake in South Africa.

• Busitema Solar Power Station – Uganda

  A 4 MW solar power plant located on Busitema University campus, installed via a donation from the Egyptian government.

  Serves as a teaching tool for students studying renewable energy programs.

• ICIPE & African Universities (Kenya)

  The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), is an international scientific research institute, in Nairobi, Kenya that works towards improving the lives and livelihoods of people in Africa. 

  Through its African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Science (ARPPIS), it partnered with 32 African universities to train MSc and PhD students in integrated pest management, linking sustainable agriculture with university-based research and capacity building.

• CMU-Africa (Rwanda) – Energy Research

  Carnegie Mellon University Africa focuses on energy and mobility research, from off-grid energy solutions to grid dynamics and environmental sustainability.

• Spiro & Mount Kigali University (MKU) – Rwanda

  Spiro, a Nairobi-based electric motorcycle and battery-swapping company, signed an MoU with MKU.

  The collaboration includes installing a battery-swap station at MKU, providing students and researchers with hands-on experience in EV adoption and sustainable transport solutions.

That’s as far as I could dig today, but the story doesn’t end here. 

Jump onto our socials and tell us: which institutions or programs did I miss that are helping close Africa’s green skills gap? 

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