Google, NITDA Collaborate To Train MSMEs In Digital Technologies

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with Google Nigeria has announced that Google Hustle Academy Bootcamp will begin in 2022 to educate Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) on digital technologies.

This was announced on Monday in a statement from Google Nigeria that was signed by Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde, Head of Brand Reputation, and Hadiza Umar, Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations.

According to the statement, the Bootcamp's objectives were to offer MSMEs free online training in order to advance professional abilities and enhance business operations.

It said that by helping small firms redefine themselves, the training will boost their revenue output.

According to the statement, the sector of micro, small, and medium enterprises supports economic expansion and is a significant source of employment possibilities for a nation.

The National Bureau for Statistics, which was cited in the statement, said that over the previous five years, SMEs contributed almost 48% of Nigeria's GDP.

But despite this important contribution to the economy of Nigeria, it continued to face obstacles that prevented the sector from expanding and developing.

These, it was claimed, include a lack of knowledge of how to use digital tools to expand a firm and a lack of planning and management abilities.

In accordance with the national strategy for a digital economy, the statement stated that NITDA has launched a number of programmes to upskill and reskill Nigerians from all walks of life to solve these difficulties.

According to what was stated, it was in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria (NDEPS).

According to the report, NITDA has launched an ambitious programme to train one million software developers in the nation as part of its mission to expand access to vast employment prospects through digital skills.

In order to optimise their potential and seize available prospects for socioeconomic growth, MSMEs would be able to benefit from the NITDA-Google Hustle Academy Bootcamp.

NITDA and Google, meanwhile, have expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration.

“We are excited about this partnership with Google Nigeria, in line with our initiative of building the capacity of one million software developers by the end of 2023.

“The programme will assist small businesses to grow by increasing revenue, positioning for investment, and building sustainable businesses for the future,’’ Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, Director-General, NITDA, said.

Similar to this, Mojolaoluwa Makinde, Head of Brand Reputation at Google Nigeria, expressed his excitement about working with NITDA to enable MSMEs to develop their own digital marketing strategy.

According to Makinde, Google was also thrilled to develop business expansion strategies, find new markets, find finance sources, and have successful pitch events.

Some eligibility requirements for enrollment into the Bootcamp were established to help ensure the program's seamless and successful implementation.

They include: MSMEs with a defined product or service offering, company maturity, and a current business plan;

Other factors include the size of operations—companies that have been in operation for more than a year and have at least two full-time employees—and revenue—companies that have made money in the past year or are 1-3 months away from breaking even.