Last week, Matt Brittin, President of Google Europe, Middle East,
and Africa (EMEA), returned to Nigeria with stops in Abuja and Lagos, where he
engaged with government leaders, businesses, and innovators. Through a series
of posts on his LinkedIn platform, monitored by Techreview Africa, Brittin shared highlights of his engagements and announced new Google initiatives designed to boost Nigeria's digital skills and technology ecosystem, while reaffirming the company's commitment to supporting the country's digital transformation.
A significant announcement during his visit was a ₦2.8 billion
(approximately $3.6 million) grant from Google.org to the Data Science Network
Foundation. This funding aims to upskill Nigerians in artificial intelligence
(AI) and data science through several programs, including training 25,000
educators to teach AI to 125,000 young people, equipping public sector
employees via the Government AI Campus, and providing advanced training in data
science and AI to 20,000 Nigerians.
Mr. Brittin’s visit included a meeting with Nigerian President Bola
Tinubu and Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister for Communication, Innovation, and
Digital Economy. He highlighted Google’s ongoing partnership with Nigeria,
including the success of the NGN 1.2 billion ($1.6 million) digital skills
program launched last year. The meeting underscored Google’s dedication to
helping empower individuals, foster innovation, and shape a more
technology-driven future for Nigeria.
Throughout his trip, he also engaged with Nigerian business leaders
and startups in both Abuja and Lagos, commending them for their work in
tackling key local challenges, from healthcare to financial inclusion, through
technology. At the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
(NCAIR), he and Google announced funding for ten innovative startups, each
receiving up to NGN 10 million (approximately $13,000), as well as access to
Google’s AI tools, mentorship, and Cloud credits to further accelerate their
impact.
Additionally, Google’s recent expansion of Voice Search,
talk-to-type, and voice input capabilities to include 15 African languages,
among them Nigerian languages like Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Nigerian Pidgin,
was a major highlight. This move reflects Google’s commitment to inclusivity,
making technology more accessible to millions of Nigerians in their native
languages.
In reflecting on his visit, the Google EMEA President wrote on
LinkedIn about the energy and drive of Nigerian entrepreneurs and the
transformative impact of technology on communities. “Nigeria is full of
fantastic entrepreneurs using technology for good, and we’re proud to support
their journey. Their energy, passion, and commitment to addressing the nation’s
challenges are truly inspiring. We look forward to seeing the impact they will
have on Nigeria and beyond.”
By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
