Samsung Electronics West Africa, in partnership with the Lagos Eko Secondary Education Project, a World Bank assisted initiative, aimed at improving the quality of public secondary education, has commissioned the first Samsung Engineering Academy in West Africa as part of its goal to develop 10,000 electronics engineers across Africa by 2015.

The academy, located within the premises of Government Technical College, Agidingbi, Ikeja, was opened by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, who described it as a knowledge hub.

The academy is the third to be established by Samsung in Africa with the two previous ones located in South Africa and Kenya.

 During the commissioning, Governor Babatunde Fashola said there was an urgent need to develop technical skills in students, noting that technicians must have knowledge that is relevant to modern technology.

 According to him, “Upcoming technicians must be exposed to cutting edge technology if they must remain competitive. There is no doubt that a sound knowledge of modern technology is the most important resource for entrepreneurship and wealth creation for technicians.”

 Governor Fashola commended Samsung for partnering with the Lagos State Government on the academy, stressing that the college is not only a knowledge hub, but will also open up job opportunities for the people of Lagos in line with his administration’s drive to create jobs especially for young citizens.

 Speaking at the event, the Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Nicholas Shin said, “Our aim is to promote cooperation, innovation, wealth creation and to facilitate thought leadership in communities where we operate in response to the real need and conditions.”

“Samsung Engineering Academy is our CSR initiative, undertaken in response to the need to train a skilled workforce of technicians who will become service experts empowered to create wealth.”