Training Alumni Newsletter - 09/2026

Training News & Highlights

An overview of what’s happened in the last months and what lies ahead for the second half of 2026

June

• Successfully held our third Train-the-Trainer workshop for partner organisations  from across the International Network of Energy Transition Think Tanks (INETTT) in Bangkok, from 22-24 June.  Members from 6 different organisations strengthened their knowledge-sharing skills enabling them to foster dynamic learning and cooperation environments.

September

• We’re working on the finishing touches four our upcoming Industry Transformation Training in Bangkok, exclusively for INETTT partners.

November

• Another round of our Train-the-Trainer programme will take place in Berlin from 24-26 November. Participating organisations who will develop and refine their training concepts have been selected. We’re mid-preparations now and look forward to welcoming them in a few months!

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Ayodeji Stephen

Ayodeji Stephen founded the African Hydrogen Fellowship (AHF) in 2023 to train and connect Africa’s next generation of hydrogen professionals, addressing a critical skills gap. AHF’s second phase is now training 40 fellows through cohort-based programs, boot camps, and research initiatives. Stephen advocates prioritizing domestic industrialization—leveraging Africa’s vast renewable resources—before focusing on exports, highlighting Namibia’s IFIN project as a model. Key milestones include the recent graduation of AHF’s first cohort, with fellows securing roles in policy and industry. Looking ahead, AHF is expanding programs, launching new research initiatives, and forming industry partnerships to drive Africa’s green hydrogen economy.

Agora Training: You founded the African Hydrogen Fellowship — could you give us an overview of what led you to establish the organisation? What’s the core mission and what are you currently working on?

In 2023, I noticed a real gap in Africa's hydrogen sector: there weren't enough locally based professionals with deep expertise. That's what led me to found the African Hydrogen Fellowship. Our mission is to train and connect the next generation of African hydrogen professionals, giving them technical skills, project development knowledge and policy literacy. We're now in phase two, with applications open for our six-month fellowship programme starting in September. We'll train 40 fellows in groups, alongside a boot camp series and our research fellows are producing original work on the African hydrogen market. It's all about building a strong, capable network right here in Africa.

Agora Training: Given Africa's strengths in renewable resources, what's your vision for how the green hydrogen economy should develop on the continent? Should the focus be on exports, domestic industrialisation or both?

Africa shouldn't just chase export value chains — we must prioritise domestic industrialisation first. Our continent has a real edge in solar, wind, and hydro, making green hydrogen cost-competitive in places like Namibia, South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria and Ethiopia. But resources alone won't build a value chain, so domestic application should anchor the first phase, like green ammonia for fertiliser, since Africa spends billions importing it. Green hydrogen also unlocks near-term wins in industrial decarbonisation, mining, manufacturing and grid energy, without needing port infrastructure or international deals. Exports still matter, but should be structured to strengthen our own capacity, not just ship raw resources. Namibia's IFIN project is a great example: ambitious exports paired with local content, skill transfer, and downstream processing. The ideal balance is to use domestic demand to build workforce, supply chains and regulations first, then export from a position of strength.

Agora Training: Since AHF's inception, is there a particular milestone you're especially proud of?

Frankly, it's been a series of things we didn't even expect when we started. But what's really brought me joy was seeing our first cohort graduate just two days ago. Two of them are already moving into internships thanks to partners we've built. A 50% completion rate might not sound huge, but these fellows aren't staying because of financial incentives — they're driven by wanting to shape Africa's energy future.

What excites me even more is watching them land jobs they wouldn't have gotten otherwise, draft policy briefs, or crack financing infrastructure. I'll never forget how one facilitator pushed the first cohort to do scenario analysis on policies shaping hydrogen demand in Africa — these fellows produced real policy briefs. That's impact you can't always quantify, but it's where the real value sits.

Agora Training: You completed the Enertracks Fellowship in 2022 — how have you applied the lessons you learned? How has it shaped your work?

Three lessons truly stuck with me: first, the framework for moving energy projects from concept to implementation, through practical decision logic. Second, how to strategically balance renewables like solar or wind to power value chains such as electrolyszers. Third, the critical role of stakeholder engagement in a relationship-dense sector like energy transition.

These insights transformed how we operate at AHF. They guided our programme design, helped us manage a growing team of 25 people and strengthened relationships with 5 mentors and 7 facilitators. The fellowship's emphasis on applied knowledge over certificates became our north star — we prioritise whether fellows can defend what they've learned. Fundamentally, Enertracks taught me that the energy transition isn't just technical, it's about people, relationships, and turning knowledge into action.

Agora Training: Looking ahead, how is the African Hydrogen Fellowship preparing for the future? 

We're advancing both our capacity-building and research programmes. We recently closed the applications for our second capacity-building cohort, with the programme launching in September alongside our West Africa bootcamp. We're also launching our second research cohort, publishing at least five knowledge products from our first research fellows and expanding industry partnerships as we form a consortium for our demonstration plant.