Mandilas Group has entered into partnership with the Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) as part of efforts to equip Nigerian graduates with employable skills and boost economic growth.
The partnership is being implemented through the John Basil Mandilas Foundation, the corporate social responsibility and philanthropic arm of Mandilas under the stewardship of the Mandilas Trust Company Ltd.
The foundation was established to advance the group’s commitment to sustainable social impact particularly in education while reflecting its values, legacy, and long-term nation building objectives.
Under the arrangement, 75 students will be trained in phases, beginning with a cohort of 25 students already selected through an interview process. Participants will undergo one month of intensive classroom training at Yabatech, followed by two months of industry attachment, allowing them to apply technical knowledge in real work environments.
The first phase of the programme will train students in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), an area of rising demand across Nigeria’s construction, manufacturing, and energy sectors.
Beyond technical instruction, the Mandilas Academy is structured to expose trainees to industry standards, modern tools, and current technologies, particularly within the HVAC space. The programme also integrates themes such as energy efficiency, sustainable cooling solutions, and environmentally responsible practices, reflecting global shifts toward greener engineering and infrastructure systems.
Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Lagos, Vice Chairman, Mandilas Group and Executive Vice Chairman, Mandilas Trust Company Limited, Mrs Ola Ayo-Adeloye said the partnership between the John Basil Mandilas Foundation and Yabatech was founded on a shared belief that education, when aligned with practical application, becomes one of the most powerful drivers of national development.
She explained that the MoU would be delivered through the Mandilas Academy, a no-cost technical training initiative designed to strengthen the bridge between academic learning and real-world industry practice, under the stewardship of Mandilas Trust Company Limited.
She noted that Mandilas Trust Company Limited, as the holding company of the Mandilas Group, carries a heritage of over 70 years in engineering services and HVAC-R solutions across Nigeria.
She said: “This partnership reflects our conviction that sustainable progress is achieved when industry works hand-in-hand with academia to develop future-ready talent. The Mandilas Academy is designed to complement the strong academic foundation for which Yabatech is widely respected. It will provide students with hands-on training, industry-aligned certifications, and exposure to modern HVAC-R technologies, ensuring graduates are not only well-educated, but confident, competent, and workplace-ready.
“Beyond technical skills, the Academy will encourage innovation in energy efficiency, sustainable cooling, and environmentally responsible practices—areas of growing importance both globally and within Nigeria. This MOU also demonstrates the power of collaboration. For students, it creates pathways to practical experience, mentorship, and career opportunities. For the institution, it strengthens curriculum relevance and industry engagement. And for society, it contributes to a skilled workforce capable of driving industrial growth, economic resilience, and environmental sustainability”.
She said that the Group plans to make the Mandilas Academy into a centre of excellence for HVAC-R training in West Africa, supporting research, innovation, and global partnerships, while producing graduates who set new standards of technical competence and professionalism.
“As we take this important step forward, we do so in the spirit of John Basil Mandilas, whose pioneering vision, integrity, and commitment to progress laid the foundation for all that we represent today. Through this Academy, we honour his legacy by investing in knowledge, opportunity, and future generations,” Ayo-Adeloye said.
Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, said the partnership aligned with Yabatech’s broader strategy of strengthening graduate employability by embedding practical skills into academic pathways.
According to him, with over 36,000 students enrolled across about 90 programmes, the institution has increasingly leaned on industry partnerships to ensure its graduates are equipped for evolving workplace expectations.
He noted that the labour market now rewards ability over credentials, thus the institution’s emphasis on field readiness rather than paper qualifications
He said: “In today’s market, it is not about the certificates you carry, but about what you can do”.
Director, Centre for Linkages and Partnership, Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Taiwo Ajala said Yabatech plans to support the Mandilas Academy by aligning its curriculum with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) requirements and Nigeria’s National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
According to him, this would allow participants to earn certifications that assess what they can do, rather than simply what they have studied.
He noted that such certifications and education are increasingly valued by employers both locally and internationally, particularly in technical and vocational fields where performance and safety standards are critical.
“What the market now demands are competencies that can be tested and verified. Even a narrowly defined technical skill, if properly assessed, can significantly improve a graduate’s chances in the job market,” Ajala said.
He explained that under the MoU, Yabatech would support the initiative through student selection, access to academic facilities, and curriculum alignment, while Mandilas would design and deliver the specialised training programme, provide industry-standard instruction, offer stipends, and create internship and employment opportunities for outstanding students.
He outlined that the programme would run in structured phases of classroom and virtual learning, industry internships, and final assessments, culminating in the award of the Mandilas Certificate of Completion.
He added that exceptional students who excel in the programme would benefit from extended internships and potential employment with Mandilas.
He said: “This collaboration aligns with Yabatech’s ERECT Agenda, which focuses on empowerment, repackaging, exploration, consolidation, and tapping into grants and endowments to strengthen the institution. By partnering with Mandilas, we are expanding opportunities for our students to gain real-world expertise while contributing to industry-academia collaboration for sustainable development”.
Welcoming the collaboration, Registrar, Yaba College of Technology, Henrietta Badejo, described the partnership as a mutually beneficial model that supports both student development and industry needs.
She said the institution was committed to supporting partners with curriculum development and technical expertise.
Share this post
Be the first to comment on this post