Tech giant, Google, says it is launching a program, Google Station, which will provide high quality Wi-Fi to millions of Nigerians.
The company’s country director in Nigeria, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, made the announcement on Thursday at the second Google for Nigeria event, taking place in Lagos.
According to her, Google in partnership with one of Nigeria’s largest fibre network providers, 21st Century, will be launching the programme in 200 locations in five cities across Nigeria.
“Google Station will be rolling out in 200 locations in five cities across Nigeria by the end of 2019, bringing Wi-Fi to millions of people.
“Sites include markets, transport hubs, shopping malls, universities, and more. Nigeria is the fifth country to get Google Station, after India, Indonesia, Thailand and Mexico,” Ehimuan-Chiazor said.
RELATED:
Google Launches First African Impact Challenge
FG Will Partner With Google, Others To Boost Internet Connectivity – Osinbajo
Additionally, Google says it is launching a search experience in Nigeria that allows users to explore health conditions based on symptoms, as well as recipe search for anyone who needs a little food inspiration.
It also announced the update of several products from its “Go” initiative, which were launched last year.
The Go product suite aims to give people with low bandwidth connections and low-RAM devices the best possible Google experience.
The new features include: Google Go which will allow web pages to be read out loud while highlighting each word so users can follow along.
Others include: YouTube Go where users will be able to browse downloaded YouTube Go videos, saved as .yt files, right from the gallery on their phones, Google Maps Go and Android Go
Listing some of its other achievements, the company said it has trained over 2.5 million of the 10 million Africans it had promised to train by 2022, under the Digital Skills Programme.
It said it has also trained 9,000 Africans in mobile app development, adding that the Launchpad Accelerator Africa initiative graduated 12 promising startups from across the continent in June.
