Google says it plans to train 20,000 Nigerian women and youth in digital skills and provide a grant of 1.2 billion naira ($1.6 million) to help the government create one million digital jobs in the country.
This follows Nigeria’s plans to create digital jobs for its teeming youth population, as announced by Vice President Kashim Shettima during a meeting with Google Africa executives in Abuja on Tuesday. Shettima did not provide a timeline for creating the jobs.
Google said a grant from its philanthropic arm in partnership with Data Science Nigeria and the Creative Industry Initiative for Africa will facilitate the programme.
Shettima said Google's initiative aligned with the government's commitment to increase youth participation in the digital economy and that the government is also working with the country's banks on the project.
Google director for West Africa, Olumide Balogun, said the company would commit funds, provide digital skills to women and young people in Nigeria, and also enable startups to grow, which will create jobs.
