By Lawani Mikairu

Siemens Energy Limited and the German Government have signed a partnership agreement with Lagos State Technical & Vocational Education Board, (LASTVEB) to set up a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centre of Excellence for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in Ikorodu.

A letter of intent for the project was signed by all parties involved at the just concluded Ehingbeti 2022 Economic Summit.

Speaking about the project and the partnership, Seun Suleiman, Managing Director, Siemens Energy Nigeria, said: “Part of the energy transition means developing the energy of tomorrow today, to protect the future generations. But we also need to ensure that future generations are equipped with the relevant knowledge and skills to contribute to social and economic growth. Partnerships and initiatives like this, to develop a TVET centre in Lagos, are vital to accelerating the energy transition, preparing future generations, and developing economies.”

He also said the objective of the centre is to improve income-generating employment opportunities for Nigerian youth. This, he said, has been identified as a crucial means to addressing poverty, high unemployment, underemployment and insecurity in the country.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the Skills Development for Youth Employment – SKYE, programme of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is also supporting the collaboration.

“To achieve the objective, Siemens Energy, LASTVEB and GIZ, have identified the need for closer collaboration that may include mutually complementary activities to set up a Centre of Excellence for Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering in Ikorodu, Lagos.”