Google Hustle Academy to Train 5000 SMEs, Entrepreneurs in Africa

Emma Okonji

Google has said about 5000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa will be receiving free training to help their businesses thrive via the newly launched Hustle Academy.

Google Hustle Academy is a bootcamp-style training program designed to help entrepreneurs and small businesses owners position their businesses for investment opportunities and building viable business models for the future.

The Hustle Academy is a practical educational program with interactive activities and instruction by subject matter experts. It also provides access to a global network of mentors and alumni.

Announcing the initiative, Google’s Head of Brand and Reputation, sub-Saharan Africa, Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde, said the program would be open to businesses that have been in operation for more than a year, have developed a business strategy and defined their product or service offering, and are aiming to grow. They must also have made a profit in the previous 12 months or be within one to three months of breaking even.

“Our hope is that through the Hustle Academy training this year, we will be able to assist 5,000 SMEs and entrepreneurs across Africa take their business to the next level and find ways to scale our efforts to help even more businesses going forward,” Aderemi-Makinde said.

Pleased with the initiative, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Teju Abisoye, said: “The Google Hustle Academy Program is a laudable initiative that will help improve business prospects and also create the impact we desire at the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund. I recommend this program to business owners and SMEs, to improve results and growth in Lagos business ecosystem.”

“SMEs are the engine that drives growth for any economy. In Africa, SMEs account for around 80 per cent of jobs and are a significant source of economic growth. In order to grow the economy and increase employment, it is crucial that small businesses have access to the right tools, training and funding to scale up. The Hustle Academy’s mission is to assist entrepreneurs navigate the business challenges they face by providing them with the appropriate tools and knowledge,” Abisoye further said.