Google Developers Space launched in Lagos

Emmanuel Akosile

Google has launched its first Google Developers Space in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital.

It was previously referred to as the Google Launchpad Space.

Google launched the Google Developers Space to provide that home and a space where entrepreneurs, developers and investors could connect and collaborate with each other. Agency report indicates that Google Developers Space is a hub for African developers, entrepreneurs and startups.

According to Juliet Ehimuan, Country Director, Google Nigeria, said that the space was the next step to Google support for developers across the African continent.

Ehimuan said that from Google’s commitment to training 100,000 developers across Africa over 50 percent had been met thus far.

She said that the commitment had stimulated the launch of Developer Merchant Support in the Google Play store making it possible for developers to earn money through apps they build.

The Google Country Director said: “We are excited to continue our journey with the African startup and developer communities.

“Through Google Developer Groups and Women Techmakers, Google provides training aligned with real-life job competency requirements.

“There are 173 active Google Developer Groups (GDGs) in Africa, providing an opportunity for developers to meet other developers with similar interests at GDG meetup events.’’

According to Ehimuan, these include talks on a wide range of technical topics and hands-on workshops.

GDGs also host DevFests –community-led developer events focused on community building and learning about Google’s technologies.

In 2019, more than 100 DevFest events were held across Africa and Launchpad Accelerator Africa had worked with 47 startups since the first class began in early 2018, she noted.

She said the companies had raised millions of Dollars in investments and created over 900 jobs across the continent.

Launchpad Africa has accelerated startups from 17 African countries so far: Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Morocco.

Others are Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The next class will start at the Google Developer Space in May 2020.

Onajite Emerhor, Head of Operations, Accelerator Africa, said at the launch that Google was strengthening its commitment to supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa by opening the Google Developers Space.

Emerhor said that Google had partnered Impact Hub to bring the Space to life and worked with a local company called Spacefinish, which designed it specifically to create an environment that fosters collaboration and innovation.

According to Emerhor her, Google is looking forward to working with startups, and other players in the ecosystem from across the continent at the Space.

She disclosed that Google would not charge for use of the space, which, in addition to housing Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa, will support developer meetups, training, experts office hours.

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