Google Pledges Digital Skills Training for 20,000 Nigerians

Google has announced plans to provide digital skills training to 20,000 Nigerian women and youth, as well as a $1.6 million grant to support the Nigerian government's goal of creating one million digital jobs.

Credits: REUTERS

The tech giant made the commitments during a meeting with Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima in Abuja this week. Shettima highlighted the country's efforts to increase youth participation in the digital economy, including collaborating with banks on digital job creation projects.

In partnership with Nigerian organisations Data Science Nigeria and Creative Industry Initiative for Africa, Google will provide the training and funding to help drive the government's digital jobs initiative.

Olumide Balogun, Google's West Africa director, said the company aims to enable Nigerian startups to grow through its investments in digital infrastructure and skills across Africa. This will in turn create new employment opportunities in the country's burgeoning digital economy.

Google's Africa director of government relations and public policy, Charles Murito, reiterated the company's commitment to supporting digital transformation on the continent as an enabler for job creation. The announcements underline Google's continued focus on empowering African youth through digital skills development and supporting governments' efforts to expand their digital economies.

With Nigeria's large, youthful population, the collaborations have significant potential to stimulate digital innovation and provide increased livelihood opportunities.

---

• Google pledged to provide digital skills training to 20,000 Nigerian women and youth to support the country's goal of creating 1 million digital jobs.

• The company announced a $1.6 million grant, in partnership with Nigerian organisations, to fund the training and drive the government's digital jobs initiative.

• Google reiterated its commitment to investing in digital infrastructure and skills across Africa as an enabler for job creation, particularly in Nigeria's expanding digital economy.

Source: REUTERS