GE, the world’s premiere digital industrial company, has announced the graduation of the third batch of 28 young Nigerian entrepreneurs from its Lagos Garage – a hub for advanced manufacturing-based innovation, strategy development, idea generation and collaboration.

The new graduates who joined the programme in the first week of June, following a rigorous selection process, received four weeks of training on advanced manufacturing technology and business development. Participants learnt how to design and create products which will help position them as vital players in the advanced manufacturing and innovation ecosystem.

The programme provided participants the opportunity to directly interact with the latest manufacturing technologies, including 3D printers and laser cutters that enable innovation through rapid prototyping. Participants were also exposed to a variety of world-class instructors and technical experts who not only provided mentorship, but support on developing their business ideas.

Speaking during a media tour of the Garage in Lagos, Patricia Obozuwa, the director, Communications & Public Affairs, GE Africa, said that the GE Lagos Garage initiative was created to build Nigerian knowledge and capability which would ultimately lead to the creation of more businesses and jobs. Obozuwa expressed the belief that the GE Lagos Garage programme would create new innovators who would lead and drive Nigeria’s manufacturing sector in the near future.

She re-emphasised GE’s commitment to skills development, saying: “We are very passionate about skills development in Nigeria and as such, are proud to have trained 95 young Nigerian entrepreneurs till date, since the launch of the Lagos Garage hub in November 2016. The Garage graduates have been empowered to transform their ideas into practical business models which in little time will have a positive impact on the Nigerian economy by empowering people to create jobs for themselves.”

GE created the Garages experience in March 2012 to reinvigorate America’s interest in invention, innovation, and manufacturing. In 2014, Garages went global with its first international exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria. Given the success of the 2014 pilot programme, in November 2016, GE launched the permanent installation of The Lagos Garage in alignment with the federal government’s focus on driving localisation and job creation.

—  Jul 5, 2017 @ 18:15 GMT