The Google for Nigeria event kicked off today with a keynote event at the Landmark event centre in Lagos, Nigeria. The event had several dignitaries and government officials in attendance, including the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the Country Director for Google, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor.
Here are the new product announcements made at the event:
Google Station: high-quality Wi-Fi hotspots across Nigeria
Google Station for Nigeria is a program to provide high-quality, high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots in Nigeria. This is in partnership with 21st Century, one of the largest fiber network providers in Nigeria. Sites include markets, transport hubs, shopping malls, universities and more. There are currently six hotspot locations in Lagos namely, Landmark Centre; The Palms, Lekki; University of Lagos; MMA2 Domestic terminal, Ikeja City mall and Computer Village.
Google says it will be rolling out in 200 locations in five cities across Nigeria by the end of 2019
Nigeria is the fifth country in Google is launching Google Station, after India, Indonesia, Thailand and Mexico.
Google says that the reason for providing this service is that only 35 percent of Africans have access to the web, compared to 48 percent in Asia, 67 in Latin America, 85 in Europe and 95 in North America. And many internet users in Africa don’t have Wi-Fi in their homes, relying instead on the few public Wi-Fi hotspots to connect, communicate and learn.
This is truly a welcome development for many Nigerians.
Google Go: Listen to webpages read out loud
In April Google launched Google Go, an app that makes it easy for people to discover the best of the internet, even on low-RAM smartphones or unstable network connections.
Today, the company is taking this further by announcing a new feature within Google Go that reads webpages out loud and highlights each word so you can follow along. It’s a new and easier way of using the web and it will be available for billions of pages and in 28 languages in the coming weeks. So whether you’re learning something new, need to have your hands free, or just want to kick back and let your phone do the work, Google can read it for you.
Google Search & Maps: Helping you find what you need
In March, Google launched its job search experience in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa and this week, it is expanding it to another 32 countries in Africa. In Nigeria, it is also launching a new Search experience that allows users explore health conditions based on symptoms. And its new recipe search experience helps you easily explore options for popular meals when you need them. Jollof anyone?
On Google Maps Go, Google is launching a navigation feature so that users with low memory phones or unstable network connections can use turn-by-turn directions whether you’re travelling by car, by bus or on foot.
Google is also launching more Nigerian landmarks and natural wonders on StreetView, so that Nigerians and others can discover more of the country. You can now virtually tour the National Museum in Lagos, Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, the Millenium Park in Abuja, Lekki Conservation Centre and many others—all from your phone.
YouTube Go: More control over downloaded videos
A year ago Google introduced YouTube Go, designed to improve user experience when watching videos on a slower network, giving you control over the amount of data used streaming or saving videos, and letting you share videos with friends nearby.
According to Google, “We’ve heard from people that they’d like to browse downloaded YouTube Go videos right from their gallery. So later this year, you’ll be able to do just that.” With the launch of the .yt video file, your downloaded YouTube Go videos will behave more like files, enabling you to also share videos via various apps or delete them in bulk. One tap on the video and it automatically plays back within YouTube Go.
Growing with Google
A year ago, Google announced initiatives aimed at getting people the right skills and tools to make the digital world work for them, their businesses and their communities.
As of today, its digital skills program has trained more than 2.5 million Africans as they aim to reach the 10 million promised. They have also trained more than 9,000 Africans developers who are on their way to becoming Google certified. And together with partners like Udacity and Andela, Google has provided 15,000 two-month “single course” scholarships and 500 six-month nanodegree scholarships to aspiring and professional developers across Africa.
Supporting startups and non-profit organizations
In March, Google kicked off the first class of Launchpad Accelerator Africa, its program to provide over $3 million in equity-free support to African tech startups including mentorship, working space and access to technology. Twelve startups graduated, with more than 20 teams from Google and 40 mentors from nine countries supporting them. The startups have directly created 132 jobs and, between them, have raised over $7 million in funding. Their products are being used by approximately 4.5 million people.
The ongoing Google Impact Challenge forms a part of our $20 million Google.org commitment to Africa over the next five years. Google closed the application process with more than 5,500 entries. Google is now in the process of selecting 36 nonprofit and social enterprise innovators who have the best uses of technology to tackle Africa’s biggest challenges.
Android Go: Bringing the power of computing to more people
According to Google, “We want people coming online for the first time to have a powerful and reliable smartphone experience. That’s why this year we launched Android 8.1 (Go Edition) in Nigeria and 29 other African countries.” Android Go is a configuration of Android optimised for smartphones with 1GB of RAM memory or less. By enhancing the pre-installed Google apps to take up 50 percent less space, Google has doubled the amount of available storage on entry-level devices.
Across Africa, Transsion, Nokia, Huawei, and Mobicel have launched various devices, starting at just over 17,000 Naira. Through Android Go, Google is enabling entry-level devices to be affordable, fully functioning smartphones that can browse the web and use apps.
Google believes that all these products are all part of its aim of helping more people to get access to computing, and of its ongoing commitment to building platforms and products that are useful for billions and that help people to make the most of the internet.
Try any of the products and let us know what you think!
