According to Google executives for Africa, the company plans to train 20,000 women and young people in Nigeria in digital skills and donate 1.2 billion naira ($1.6 million) to the government to support the creation of one million digital jobs in the nation.
At a meeting with Google Africa executives in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima stated that Nigeria intends to create digital jobs for its burgeoning youth population. Shettima did not specify when the jobs would be created.
Executives from Google Africa stated that the programme will be made possible by a grant from its charitable division in collaboration with Data Science Nigeria and the Creative Industry Initiative for Africa.
Shettima claimed that Google’s initiative supported the government’s goal of boosting young people’s involvement in the digital economy. On the project, he added that the government is also collaborating with the nation’s banks.
According to Olumide Balogun, the director of Google for West Africa, the company will invest money, teach digital skills to women and young people in Nigeria, and support startup growth, which will lead to job creation.
During the meeting, Charles Murito, Google Africa’s director of government relations and public policy, stated that Google is committed to investing in digital infrastructure across Africa, and that digital transformation can be a job enabler.