TheCable

General Electric (GE), global digital industrial company says it would be creating 1,300 jobs with its most recent investments in Nigeria.

The planned investment is expected to create 300 new jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs through over 50 new suppliers who will support its expanded operations.

According to James Entwistle, the US ambassador to Nigeria, who spoke at General Electric’s planned manufacturing and assembly facility in Calabar, the US government will continue to encourage American companies in investing significantly in Nigeria.

Entwistle said he was impressed with GE’s investment commitment with the Calabar facility, which will help improve the local and national community.

He said through the project, GE had proven  that foreign direct investment can thrive in Nigeria, “contrary to the impression created in some quarters”.

“Nigeria can be a pleasant place to do business if investors are ready to adapt to the country’s peculiarities,” he said.

Lazarus Angbazo, the president and CEO of GE Nigeria, thanked the US Ambassador for what he termed the tremendous support of GE investment commitments in Nigeria.

He disclosed that GE remained committed to localising operations in the country through job creation, technology and skills transfer, training and supplier development.

The GE Nigeria CEO disclosed that over 90 percent of GE’s management team in the country are Nigerians.

“GE’s investment plans for Nigeria include a $250 million capital expenditure for the manufacturing facility in Calabar that will make Nigeria a regional hub for manufacturing, service, and innovation with an improved ability to support a broader range of product lines in power generation as well as oil and gas exploration and production,” the company said in a statement.

“We will also invest significantly over the next 5 years in local souring of goods/ services, labour, staff welfare and training.

“GE also plans to build a training facility to ensure on-going employee development and will provide one-year to four-year training programmes locally and internationally for repair engineers, welders, fabricators, machinists and special processing.”