Lagos, GAC Motors Partner to Transform Engineering Education in State-Owned Universities

The Lagos State Government has taken a significant step toward strengthening technical education with a proposed collaboration between the Ministry of Tertiary Education and GAC Motors to enhance practical engineering training in state-owned universities. The initiative targets engineering students at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu.

The framework for the partnership was initiated during a high-level tripartite meeting held at the Alausa Secretariat, bringing together officials from the Ministry of Tertiary Education, representatives of GAC Motors, and senior academic leaders from both universities. Discussions focused on aligning academic curricula with industry-driven technical competencies

Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, stressed that the collaboration is aimed at embedding hands-on, industry-standard skills into engineering programmes. He explained that students would receive training in vehicle assembly, advanced maintenance, servicing, and workshop operations to boost employability and entrepreneurship.

According to the Commissioner, the partnership will bridge the gap between theory and practice, producing graduates equipped to compete in both local and global automotive markets. He noted that existing university facilities and expertise would be leveraged to deliver mutual benefits for students, institutions, and the automobile industry.

Representing GAC Motors, Mr. Wale Akinwade reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the initiative, revealing that outstanding students and staff may benefit from overseas training and integration into the LAGBUS maintenance and ownership scheme. Academic leaders from LASU and LASUSTECH hailed the initiative as a timely intervention to modernise engineering education in Lagos State.