Date: 6 May 2024
Venue: Nairobi, Kenya
African Energy Commission (AFREC) initiated New Training Tools to Empower Energy Data Collection in African Union Member States
AFREC's commitment to strengthening National Focal Points of African Member States in energy data collection continues with the launch of the newly developed statistics training modules. The on job Regional Training workshop for Energy Statistics which is currently being held in Nairobi, Kenya from 6 to 9 May 2024 marks the first training session, providing cutting-edge materials and support to enhance skills and knowledge of African Experts in this crucial area.
The training program, which utilizes modules developed by AFREC in collaboration with its well experienced National Focal Points aims to guide Focal Points in filling out efficiently the AFREC questionnaires on energy data collection, especially the energy balance questionnaire.
During the opening ceremony, Mr. Nougbodohoue Samson Bel-Aube, Head of Energy Information System and Statistics speaking on behalf of AFREC's Executive Director, Mr. Rashid Ali Abdallah, emphasized on the importance of the training workshop for the African Energy Commission. He further said “As part of its ongoing efforts to update the African Energy Information System (AEIS), AFREC has decided to modernize and enhance the training of national focal points on data collection tools with the newly developed training modules that will now be used in all future capacity-building sessions, providing a consistent, standardized approach to energy data collection”.
This approach will also ensure that the training addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by NFPs when completing the AFREC questionnaires. Using the expertise and inputs of the National Focal Points, the training has integrated regional contexts, case studies and best practices that have been found very relevant by the participants. This will enhance the practicality and effectiveness of the learning experience, equipping participants with the skills and knowledge to better understand the data collection tools and thus better complete AFREC questionnaires.
Mr. Stephen Mutuku Nzioka, Director Renewable Energy, who spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum of Kenya expressed the Government of Kenya's appreciation to the AFREC for choosing Kenya to host this important on job Regional Trainings on the new AEIS's tools.
“The Government of Kenya has undertaken a lot of efforts in recent years to improve the access of the population of Kenya to quality and reliable energy, particularly renewable energy. The Government of Kenya attaches great importance to energy statistics. It is within this framework that the Government of Kenya has established a Statistics Directorate within the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. I urge the participants to take the training seriously as it capacitates African Union Member States by improving their ability to produce quality statistics that improves the Energy Information Systems at the National Level and ultimately the African Energy Information System (AEIS)”, he remarked.
Over the next four days, feedback and recommendations gathered from member states on the compilation of national energy statistics will be used to come up with strategies to assist member states to improve their National Energy Information Systems and consequently the African Energy Information System. Member States that are facing the most challenges will be given the highest priority on the future interventions that will be offered by AFREC.
This event has been financially supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), a strategic partner of AFREC in enhancing the Energy data and statistic as well as in capacity building.
Notes to Editor
About the African Energy Information System
Since 2012, AFREC has put in place a platform named the African Energy Information System (AEIS) and a capacity building programme to support National Focal Points (NFPs) in the Member States, to coordinate energy data collection and validation at national level by using four questionnaires: Energy statistics (Energy Balance) and Energy efficiency for residential sector, Power Plants Capacity, and Energy Prices and Taxes. In 2020, AFREC conducted a comprehensive improvement of the AEIS and the new AEIS is now composed of the following elements: Profile of data collectors, Excel questionnaires (Data collection Tools), Data submission mechanism (online data collection), Data storage platform, Data dissemination and reporting system (publications and online data visualization tools) and Data managers and analysts (user interface for analysis dedicated to NFPs).
About the African Energy Commission
The African Energy Commission (AFREC) is a specialised energy agency of the African Union, mandated to implement African energy programmes by coordinating, harmonising, protect, conserve, develop, promote rational exploitation, commercialization, resource mobilisation and integration of energy resources for all AU Member states.
AFREC is also entrusted with the responsibility to design, create and set up the continental energy database, and facilitate rapid dissemination of information among AU member states, Regional Economic communities in Africa, investors amongst others.
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African Energy Commission (AFREC) | African Union| email: afrec@africaunion.org| Website: www.au-afrec.org | Algiers |Algeria Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter
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