First Group of Graduates Emerge from GE Garages Program in Lagos

GE
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group, Engr. Mansur Ahmed, Group Executive Director, Stakeholder Relations and Corporate Communications, Dangote Group, John Rice, Vice-Chairman, GE Global, Jay Ireland, CEO and President, GE Africa and Lazarus Angbazo, CEO and President, GE Nigeria at the Lagos Garage graduating ceremony
3 December 2014
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GE Africa (Lagos)
press release
Lagos —
  • Dangote Foundation Partnership Affirmed
  • Participants Trained on Product Development, Entrepreneurship, and Advanced Manufacturing

Twenty-eight Nigerians graduated from a pilot of the Lagos Garages programme, powered by GE. Over six weeks the graduates were trained on Product Development, Entrepreneurship, Sales and Marketing as well as the latest manufacturing technologies to enable innovation through rapid prototyping. The programme is dedicated to accelerating the impact of Nigeria's most promising entrepreneurs. GE and Dangote Foundation announced that their collaboration on the Lagos Garage, transforming the initiative to a multi-year series of skills building programmes would be launched in 2015. GE is expanding on its past successes by working with The Dangote Foundation to build the next generation of Nigerian entrepreneurs.

Participants will learn and apply the core principles of design thinking, product development, finance, marketing, sales, and customer acquisition in real-time to their ventures. The Garage will also provide access to a robust mentorship network, supporting entrepreneurship with of aim driving growth across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony for the graduates in Lagos, President/Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, said "At Dangote, we are committed to ensuring that Nigerians have all the opportunities to engage with and leverage advanced manufacturing technologies to promote industrialization, which is a key nation building goal."

The President and CEO of GE Nigeria, Dr Lazarus Angbazo is also optimistic about the future of the programme: "with more than 500 employees in Nigeria and 2,200 employees across 25 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, GE is committed to supporting economic growth in Africa and driving both awareness and education on entrepreneurship via technology, hardware and software innovations in the industry."

GE created the Garages program in 2012 to reinvigorate America's interest in invention, innovation, and manufacturing. In 2014, Garages went global with workshops and a skills training program pilot at GE's regional headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, using the latest in advanced manufacturing technologies. 3D printers, CNC mills, and laser cutters filled the first-ever fabrication lab in West Africa, driving innovation in the region.

About GE

GE works on things that matter, using the best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges, finding solutions in energy, health and home, transport and finance, building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com

About Dangote

Dangote Foundation's mission is to enhance opportunities for social and economic transformation through investments that improve health, promote quality education and broaden economic empowerment opportunities. The GE Garages partnership is part of its Education Program's work to broaden the availability of quality market-aligned vocational and technical skills development that increase youth entrepreneurship,employability options and prospects.

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