Google Celebrates Small Businesses in Africa with Scholarships

Emma Okonji

Google has announced new initiatives to support small retail businesses in Africa as part of a month-long commemoration of International Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Businesses (SMB) Day in June. 

This includes a one-hour virtual training event, Shopping Small Business Summit, aimed at helping SMB owners develop skills and tools to compete online.

Speaking about the initiative, Google’s Country Director for West Africa, Juliet Ehimuan, said: “E-commerce presents an opportunity for small businesses in Africa to reach new customers and grow. Through the digital marketing & e-commerce career certificates and specialised training and 1000 scholarships, we want to be able to assist small businesses in Africa gain the expertise to connect online, expand their customer base and scale up.”

E-commerce markets in Kenya and Nigeria increased by 40 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively, in 2021, while online sales in South Africa increased by 66 per cent from 2019 to 2020, reaching more than $1.8 billion. 

“As more consumers on the continent continue to search for goods and services online, it is critical that small retail businesses learn how to better harness online tools for growth,” Ehimuan further said.