Lagos, Feb 15 (IANS): An Indian information technology company will train 1,500 computer aided designs and drafting (CADD) engineers in Nigeria annually.

Having opened a centre in the capital city of Abuja earlier, the IT firm -- CADD Centre -- has now set up another centre in this port city of Lagos in western Africa for this objective.

CADD Centre Training Services is the training arm of 24-year-old CADD Centre Group, headquartered in Chennai.

S. Karaiadiselvan, managing director of the CADD Centre, said the two centres will train the engineers in over 15 global CAD/CAE/CAM and Project Management products from engineering firms such as Autodesk, PTC, Bentley, and Siemens.

The CADD Centre is committed to enhance Nigeria's competitiveness by providing world class CAD and project management education customised to the needs of oil and non-oil based industries and services sector in Nigeria.

"Today, Nigeria ranks third in Africa in factory output. This West African nation is fast becoming the powerhouse of Africa with the country focusing on infrastructure development," said Karaiadiselvan.

"In this context, the country needs a vast pool of local talent well trained in software."

Ayoola Jolayemi, chief executive of Riverbank Technologies and Engineering Services Limited, said the company, master franchise of CADD Centre in Nigeria and west Africa, the centre will help in improving skilled workforce in various engineering fields in Nigeria.

Local and multi-national companies are continuously looking for qualified or multi-skilled manpower who are in tune with latest technology, said Jolayemi.

"Hence over 95 percent of corporate send their staff on international trainings outside Nigeria to acquire new skills."

"However, with the setting up of CADD Centres in Nigeria, they can be trained within the country, thus saving training cost both for companies and students," Jolayemi added.