Emma Okonji
Google Hustle Academy has graduated 5,300 Small and Medium Businesses across Africa who participated in the academy training in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
Among the 5,300 beneficiaries across the four African countries, over 2,000 beneficiaries graduated from Nigeria and 15 of them got the N75 million Google’s Hustle Academy SMB fund set aside for the Nigerian market.
Pleased with the Google initiative to train and equip Nigerians and Africans in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the Director General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr. Charles Odii, promised to engage the over 2,000 Nigerian beneficiaries by licensing them as Business Development Service Providers that would work with SMEDAN to onboard SMBs across Nigeria.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President of Nigeria on Job Creation, Mr. Tola Adekunle-Johnson, also promised to offer direct employment to one of the beneficiaries for a period of one year.
Both gave the promises on Thursday in Abuja, during the graduation ceremony of the over 2,000 Nigerian SMBs that were trained by Google.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Country Director for Google West Africa, Mr. Olumide Balogun, said the graduation marked a continuation of the programme’s impact, with over 10,300 entrepreneurs having participated since its inception in 2022.
“The Google Hustle Academy programme, designed to address specific challenges faced by SMBs in Africa, offers practical skills and resources to help these businesses grow. This year’s graduation adds to the momentum gained from last year’s 5,000 graduates, reflecting a growing community of businesses engaged in continuous learning and improvement.
“Alongside the graduation, 15 SMBs have been chosen to receive support from the N75 million Hustle Academy Fund. This initiative aims to provide a combination of financial assistance, mentorship, and business tool access to some of the most promising Nigerian SMBs. The recipients represent various industries from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, and demonstrate the creativity of Nigerian entrepreneurs,” Balogun said.
He further said: “The passion and resilience shown by these SMBs are truly inspiring. The Hustle Academy is a testament to what focused training and resources can achieve. We are not just celebrating their graduation today; we are recognizing their potential to reshape and invigorate the Nigerian business landscape.”
Founder of Wauley Projects Limited, Femi Bolaji, from Nigeria, and one of the 15 fund recipients, said: “The Hustle Academy has equipped us with vital business knowledge, and being selected for the fund is a significant boost that will propel our business forward.”
Head, Brand and Reputation at Google, Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Markinde, said Google would follow up on the 15 Nigerian beneficiaries to ensure that the N75 million SMB fund is well utilised to grow and sustain their businesses.
