The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with Google Nigeria, is providing free online training for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), thereby, helping small businesses to increase their revenue generation.
In a press statement made available to NATIONAL ECONOMY, the director general/CEO of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, said, “We are excited about this partnership with Google Nigeria, which is 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 grow by increasing revenue, positioning for investment, and building sustainable businesses for the future.”
Similarly, the head of brand reputation, Google Nigeria, Mr. Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde said, “We are excited to collaborate with NITDA to empower MSMEs to plan their digital marketing strategies, create business growth plans, identify new markets, access funding opportunities and pitch success.”
The MSMEs sector is a backbone for economic growth and a major provider of employment opportunities in a country.
According to the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS), SMEs have contributed about 48 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP in the last five years.
However, despite this significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy, challenges persist that hinder the growth and development of the sector. These include inadequate understanding on how to leverage digital tools for business growth, poor planning and management skills.
To address these challenges, NITDA has embarked on several initiatives to up-skill and re-skill Nigerians across all walks of life in line with the national agenda for a digital economy – the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria (NDEPS).
Inuwa said, in furtherance to provide massive employment opportunities through digital skills, NITDA has kick started an ambitious project to train one million software developers in the country.
“Therefore, the NITDA-Google Hustle Academy Bootcamp will enable MSMEs to maximise their potentials and key into existing opportunities for socio-economic development,” he added.
