Mini-grids key to rural electrification and climate resilience - VRA

The VRA Academy has launched a specialised two-week regional training programme on Clean Mini-Grid Design, Installation and Inspection aimed at accelerating rural electrification and bridging the energy access gap for millions of people across West Africa.

The initiative seeks to build a highly skilled and certified workforce capable of deploying sustainable, decentralised solar energy systems throughout the ECOWAS sub-region.

The Training of Trainers (ToT) programme, which opened at the VRA Academy in Akuse, has brought together 20 engineers and technical practitioners from across the Economic Community of West African States.

The programme is being delivered through a partnership involving the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, which serves as the accreditation body, the Volta River Authority Academy, and Takoradi Technical University.

Most of the participants are from The Gambia and Ho Technical University.

The curriculum covers the full range of competencies required for mini-grid deployment, including system design, installation, inspection, maintenance, and the pedagogical skills needed to enable participants to transfer their knowledge effectively in their home countries.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of VRA Deputy Chief Executive for Services Samuel Fletcher, officials described the programme as a strategic investment in the socio-economic future of the region.

“Mini-grids have emerged as a practical and scalable solution, particularly for rural and peri-urban communities where conventional grid extension is not economically viable. By harnessing renewable resources, we reduce dependence on fossil fuels, mitigate environmental impacts, and foster resilience against climate change,” he said.

Fletcher stressed that the technical expertise required to design, install, and inspect these systems is critical to ensuring their long-term reliability and effectiveness.

He also highlighted the organisers’ deliberate effort to make the programme gender-responsive, noting that the energy transition presents an opportunity to build a more diverse workforce in which women are fully represented in technical roles.

The deployment of solar photovoltaic mini-grids has become a vital strategy for West African countries pursuing universal electricity access. These systems are transforming lives by powering homes, businesses, schools, and healthcare facilities in communities beyond the reach of conventional grid infrastructure.

Accreditation and Capacity Building

VRA Academy Chief Learning Officer Kingsley Gyamfi said the initiative followed a rigorous accreditation process that began more than a year ago after the West African Power Pool encouraged the Academy to apply for ECREEE certification.

“We are privileged to have been selected to host this programme, the first of its kind under our new accreditation status,” Gyamfi said.

He explained that the course is structured as a Training of Trainers programme to ensure that the knowledge gained by participants extends far beyond the current cohort.

“Every participant in this room carries the potential to shape hundreds of future energy practitioners. That is the power of the Training of Trainers approach, and it is a responsibility we must not take lightly,” he said.

Universal Electrification

VRA Director of Water Resources and Renewable Energy Abdul Noor Wahab said the programme addresses the challenge of electrifying remote communities located far from national grids.

“With this initiative, we are developing specialised solar power generation stations that produce electricity and transmit it directly to homes, providing the same quality of power enjoyed by urban communities, but through off-grid systems,” he said.

According to him, nearly 20 million people in the West African sub-region still lack access to electricity. He noted that the ToT model is designed to equip engineers with the skills to deploy mini-grid technology and share practical experience across Ghana and other participating countries.

Regional Energy Programme

Guei Guillaume Kouhie, speaking on behalf of ECREEE Executive Director Gibson Obasi, explained that the training forms part of the West Africa Regional Energy Programme, an African Development Bank-funded initiative coordinated by ECREEE and WAPP to accelerate solar power generation, transmission, and decentralised mini-grid deployment across ECOWAS member states.

He said the programme’s first phase has focused on feasibility studies and mini-grid assessments in Guinea-Bissau, Benin, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mali, Niger, and Ghana.

“ECREEE is actively validating clean mini-grid study findings and conducting capacity-building workshops across the region,” Kouhie said.

He added that the training in Akuse marks a significant step toward translating feasibility studies into operational systems on the ground.

Expected Impact

As the training begins, organisers and participants expressed confidence that the programme will not only strengthen the technical capacity of individual engineers but also accelerate the deployment of clean mini-grids across West Africa.

The initiative is expected to bring reliable electricity to clinics, schools, and small businesses that have long operated without dependable power, while laying the foundation for a more sustainable, inclusive, and fully electrified West Africa.