The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) has said that 51,000 engineers are required to fast-track development in the power sector.

The Director-General of the Institute, Mr Reuben Okeke, gave the figure on Monday in Abuja at the induction 220 beneficiaries of Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

Okeke said that the nation’s power sector had suffered dearth of young and qualified electrical engineers due to employment embargo since 1998.

He said that government had offered to train the 220 beneficiaries free, pay them stipend and sponsor them for post-graduate courses.

Currently, the sector has an estimated 200 young engineers, craftsmen and fitters out of the required 51,000 engineers.

(NAN)