One of the most recent and ambitious efforts on the Photovoltaic R&D field that ITER has undertaken has been the installation of a state of the art solar cell fabrication and characterization laboratory, the first of its kind in West Africa. The laboratory has been designed in synergy with the AIET and ULL to improve and expand the scientific and technological infrastructures of ITER towards its continued pursuit to achieve a real parity of Renewable Energy in the economic fabric. Besides, the laboratory provides a high level technology infrastructure, in order to enable the educational community with the means to complete their training (Masters, PhD, etc) focused on the scientific development of the society. The present paper will summarize the achieved experiences during the laboratory design and start up, as well as the impact that such project is already making on the educational community.