2024 is a landmark year for gelato culture in Africa. The first gelato-making course at Carpigiani Gelato University’s new campus in Lagos, Nigeria, finished on 14 June, and Consul General Ugo Boni attended the graduation ceremony, welcoming it as a chance to spread Italian artisan gelato across the country.

A first course in Lagos

The school’s headquarters developed the project with a local Carpigiani dealer, inside the new Gelato & Coffee University campus. The aim is to run three introductory training sessions a year. The first professional course ran for three days, 12 to 14 June, led by an international instructor and a Nigerian instructor trained in Italy. Twenty-seven people took part, mostly from Nigeria.

Kaori Ito, director of Carpigiani Gelato University, explained that the goal is a base in Central Africa that can also draw future entrepreneurs from neighbouring countries. The teaching language is English, and faculty at headquarters supervise so that methods and topics match those taught elsewhere. She noted that a small gelato business in Africa can face different challenges, which is why the local dealer, who understands economic conditions, adds marketing-focused advice.

As at the Anzola dell’Emilia headquarters and other international campuses, each day mixes theory and practice. Graduates can continue their studies in Italy to go deeper on balancing and alternative recipes.

About Carpigiani Gelato University

Founded in 2003 as the training arm of Carpigiani, the world’s leading maker of artisan gelato machines, the university promotes the culture of quality artisan gelato and is recognised internationally as a breeding ground for successful gelato makers. It is based in Anzola dell’Emilia (Bologna, Italy) and has 23 satellite campuses in 22 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Panama, the USA and Nigeria.

Train with Carpigiani Gelato University in New Zealand

Australia is on that campus list, and Majors Group arranges access to Carpigiani Gelato University for gelato makers in New Zealand. See our training options for what is on offer, or start with the guide to opening a gelato shop if you are still planning.

Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for New Zealand by Majors Group.