Clean energy jobs rose to 35 million in the fossil fuel sector, representing a growth of 4.7 million in the last year, a 2023 World Energy Employment Report has stated.
According to the report, while fossil fuel employment has lagged, the remaining 1.3 million jobs are below their pre-pandemic levels of 32 million, with new jobs in construction and manufacturing accounting for over half of all energy employment.
It revealed that with a growing trend toward project-based approaches in many industries, a rising demand for skilled project managers was expected to increase significantly over the next decade.
However, this demand, it said, was contrasted by a shrinking workforce in many countries due to ageing populations and falling birth rates.
According to the Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, PMI, George Asamani, as more countries and corporations in the region commit to lowering emissions, the transition to clean energy is poised to boost employment opportunities significantly.
He noted, “Turning the vision into reality means lots of projects and lots of jobs. There’s abundant potential in Africa, which is home to 60 per cent of the top solar sites globally — yet contains just 1 per cent of solar PV capacity.”
The report stated that several countries were leading the renewable charge in Africa; adding that Senegal, “an unlikely renewable energy hotspot, with oil and gas driving its forecast 8.8 per cent Gross Domestic Product growth in 2024, is aiming to generate as much as 40 per cent clean energy by 2030”.
It disclosed that Ghana’s $2bn Ada Foah project was set to produce 1,000 megawatts of power by capturing tidal wave energy in the Gulf of Guinea.
“Even oil-rich Nigeria is calling for renewables to meet 60 per cent of the country’s energy demands by 2050. In South Africa, some 66GW of wind and solar projects are at various stages of development, with 18GW at an advanced stage,” the report noted.
Amid the many positive trends emerging for clean energy employment, it was said that skilled labour shortages were already plaguing the sector.
It stated that the sector needed higher-skilled workers than most industries, adding that 36 per cent of energy jobs are within high-skilled occupations by the International Labour Organisation definitions, compared with 27 per cent in the broader economy.
“The number of Africans pursuing certifications relevant to project management is not keeping pace with the growing demand. Last year, China certified over 100,000 individuals, North America had 33,000, and Africa only managed 3,000.
“Meanwhile, the global economy will need 25 million project professionals by 2030. To meet this demand, the biggest coming from sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 2.3 million individuals must enter project management-oriented employment annually.
“Cultivating a certified pool of project professionals should be a strategic priority for the region looking to be energy sufficient. Project management plays a key role in driving development outcomes and is one of the factors that contribute to competitiveness,” he said.
According to the World Energy Outlook Report, by 2030, energy investment will need to double to over $200bn per year for Africa to achieve all its energy-related development goals, including universal access to modern energy.
It indicated that about 600 million people lack access to electricity in Africa, with 98 per cent residing in sub-Saharan Africa.
