General Electric (GE) says it has set up a permanent installation of its Lagos Garage as a hub for advanced manufacturing technology in Nigeria.
According to GE, the facility will offer Nigerian entrepreneurs access to innovation, strategy development, idea generation and collaboration in advanced manufacturing,
Co-located with the GE Lagos offices in Victoria Island, the Lagos Garage will offer a year-round series of skills training programs focused on building the next generation of Nigerian entrepreneurs, according to GE.
Participants will be trained to use the latest in advanced manufacturing technologies like 3D printers, CNC mills, and laser cutters in the first-ever fabrication lab in Nigeria, driving innovation in the country, GE says.
They will also learn how to apply the core principles of design thinking, product development, finance, marketing, sales and customer acquisition in real-time to their ventures.
Participants will be trained to use the latest in advanced manufacturing technologies like 3D printers, CNC mills, and laser cutters in the first-ever fabrication lab in Nigeria, driving innovation in the country, GE says.
Lazarus Angbazo, President & CEO, GE Nigeria says “innovation and technology are fundamental for Africa to better compete in a global frame work. Innovation needs to be tailored to the specificities of local needs. GE is pleased to encourage innovation in Nigeria and support SME development through skills-building initiatives such as these.”
GE says that the Garages was initially created in March 2012 to reinvigorate interest in invention, innovation, and manufacturing in America, and the programs have included custom projects, curated speaker sessions and workshops amidst a fully equipped advanced manufacturing space.
The GE Garages programme went global with two workshops in Lagos in 2014 and has since grown to include several countries in Europe and the Middle-East, according to GE.
GE says that the popularity of the programme made it decide to commission a permanent space to train young Nigerians in advanced manufacturing and business development.
And the company hopes to create jobs, build local knowledge and capability, and encourage technology-based innovation in the manufacturing sector by assisting with the development of the advanced manufacturing ecosystem in Nigeria.
Also commenting, Patricia Obozuwa, Director of Communications & Public Affairs for GE Africa says, “GE is proud to launch the Lagos Garage, a hub that is dedicated to accelerating the impact of some of Nigeria’s most promising entrepreneurs. We have set up a learning environment that is different from the traditional.
“We are combining both the classroom and the real-world – providing hands-on training in advanced manufacturing. We’re looking forward to seeing great ideas that come to the GE Lagos Garage being transformed into practical business models that ultimately create more jobs in Nigeria.”
GE is guaranteeing that while on the program and upon graduation, the Lagos Garage will provide the participants access to a robust mentorship network, supporting entrepreneurship with the aim of driving growth across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
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