Google Nigeria, in partnership with digital payments company Flutterwave, will from March 2019 kick off a series of business clinics aimed at helping 5000 merchants across Nigeria acquire the skills and tools needed to leverage the Web for growth.

Called the ‘Digital Business Compass’, the first clinic sessions will be run from 3 – 5 March in Lagos, and will ‘focus on equipping businesses with the tools, technologies and insights needed for them to grow in the digital age.‘

The sessions will include case studies and live sessions to give attending businesses hands-on experience of how Google and Flutterwave’s products can be leveraged.

This will be followed by consultations with Digital Business Managers and support teams who will give attendees ‘personalised advice on how they can use Google and Flutterwave’s tools and solutions to grow their businesses.’

Google Partners Lead for West Africa, Tolulope Akinyele said;

According to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nigeria has over 37.07 million micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs), which account for more than 84 percent of jobs in the country.

Akinyele added that;

Helping these businesses grow is a net positive for all parties including Google. Many of them lack the skills and tools to take advantage of the Web to grow their businesses, however. Working with Flutterwave, our goal for holding these clinics is to provide a platform for SMEs to learn skills and master tools that will help them better utilise the Web to grow their businesses.”

On his part, co-founder and CEO of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola stated that;

We have always been passionate about inspiring a new wave of prosperity across Africa. In partnership with Google, we are looking forward to empowering SMEs across Africa to scale and drive up revenue

He explained that;

Beyond contributing to the growth of the country’s digital economy, when these businesses better learn about online tools, they join a community of businesses and users that are leveraging Google’s tools to further drive their growth.

Interested SMEs can apply to attend the sessions on 4 March at here and 5 March at here