NOUN, Auto Clinic Launch EV, Auto-Diagnostics Course
From Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Centre for Human Resource Development (CHRD), in partnership with Auto Clinic Centre, Abuja, has launched a virtual Certificate Course in Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Auto-Diagnostics (ADs).
The ceremony was declared open by the Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) and Chairman of the Vice Chancellor’s Committee on Certificate Courses, Professor Isaac Sammani Rabo Butswat.
The Vice Chancellor expressed appreciation to the Auto Clinic Centre for its involvement in the take-off of the certificate course and encouraged learners to engage actively in the program.
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Omaye, described the initiative as part of ongoing public-private partnerships aimed at supporting innovation and addressing challenges within Nigeria’s automobile industry.
He noted the ministry’s interest in tracking the course’s progress and urged participants to take full advantage of the opportunity to improve their skills in the sector.
The keynote speaker, Professor Samuel Gbadebo Odewumi, Special Adviser to the NUC on CNG and Electric Vehicles, discussed the challenges and opportunities in the EV industry. He emphasized the importance of training and technical capacity building for successful adoption of electric vehicle technology in Nigeria.
Professor Odewumi added that partnerships such as that between NOUN and the Auto Clinic Centre could help bridge the gap in technical expertise in the EV sector. He also mentioned plans to integrate the course into the curriculum for students of Lagos State University, School of Transport and Logistics.
Mr. Nathaniel Okwesiri, CEO of Auto Clinic Centre, speaking from Vienna, Austria, along with auto expert Mr. Robert Popiel, addressed the need for technical competence in the auto-mechanic sector. He affirmed the Centre’s commitment to the continued implementation of the course.
Professor Aminu Umar, Director of the Centre for Human Resource Development (CHRD), linked the course launch to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September 2023 between NOUN and three private organizations to support skills-based education in the automotive sector.
The three-month certificate course includes a one-week internship and is part of broader efforts to offer practical training aimed at enhancing technical capacity and addressing malpractice in the auto repair industry.
