Health and safety training firm SMTS has opened a new office in Nigeria and will partner with the Lagos Safety Commission to run courses in the region.



The Commission is the overseeing body responsible for the inspection, enforcement and promotion of health and safety issues in Lagos, and the alliance with SMTS is reportedly the first of its kind in Nigeria.



SMTS managing director Jamie Cliffe explained that the partnership aims to fill the shortfall of competent training courses in Nigeria and provide delegates with a recognised health and safety qualification. He said: “While there is a whole raft of supposed safety companies in the region proudly claiming dubious accreditations, there seems to be a distinct shortage of training providers offering a truly competent service using highly qualified professional trainers, let alone any providing expertise and qualifications that are geared to the modern needs of Nigerian business and industry.

“The strong links with clients and bodies, such as the Lagos Safety Commission, are vital to enhancing the safety culture and establishing SMTS’s profile in Nigeria.”

The new company will be managed by executive director, Wale Bakare, who was formerly chief training officer of Halston Energy Ltd. Bakare is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Safety Professionals (NISP) and IOSH.



Commenting on Bakare’s appointment, Cliffe said: “We are delighted to welcome Wale Bakare into the SMTS fold, knowing that he has exactly the right calibre of professionalism, integrity and vision that we need to ensure the success of SMTS (Nig).”