Google, AfCFTA Launch Continental Programme to Equip SMEs With AI and Digital Trade Skills
The AfCFTA Digital Inclusion & Entrepreneurship Programme, delivered through the Google Hustle Academy, is designed to help businesses expand, compete, and trade more effectively across the continent.
Google and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat have launched a new initiative that will equip thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria and across Africa with essential AI and digital skills. The AfCFTA Digital Inclusion & Entrepreneurship Programme, delivered through the Google Hustle Academy, is designed to help businesses expand, compete, and trade more effectively across the continent.
SMEs generate nearly 80% of jobs in Africa, yet many still lack the digital capabilities needed to operate efficiently and access wider markets. The new programme aims to close this gap by offering free, action-focused training with AI-powered tools and localized content that reflects current market realities. It also builds on the foundation established by the Google Hustle Academy, which has already supported more than 18,000 SMEs across African countries since 2022.
The initiative directly supports AfCFTA’s broader objective of empowering micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises as key drivers of the continent’s economic integration. It also aligns with efforts to strengthen participation among women, youth, persons with disabilities, rural farmers, and other groups central to Africa’s economic transformation.
Google’s role in the partnership focuses on strengthening the digital capabilities of African entrepreneurs in areas such as AI adoption, e-commerce operations, and cross-border trade. By expanding access to practical digital tools, the programme is expected to help businesses improve productivity, reach new customers, and operate more efficiently.
The curriculum comprises three core modules delivered in English, French, Arabic, and Portuguese to ensure continent-wide accessibility. The first module, Cross-Border Digital Trade, helps entrepreneurs understand how to enter new markets, adapt offerings, and navigate logistics such as payments and shipping under the AfCFTA framework. The second module, Cloud for Small Businesses, teaches participants how to use cloud platforms like Google Workspace and Google Cloud to improve collaboration, strengthen security, and reduce operational costs. The third module, AI for Productivity, focuses on helping businesses automate routine tasks, generate marketing content, and analyze customer data using AI tools.
UpSkill Universe, a leading digital skills provider, will oversee the delivery of the programme. The organization aims to ensure that entrepreneurs are equipped with the practical knowledge needed to grow and scale despite evolving technologies and shifting customer behaviours.
Applications for the programme are now open. Eligible businesses must have been operational for at least six months and be based in any of the selected AfCFTA member states, including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco.
The programme is expected to boost digital inclusion across the continent, enhance SME competitiveness, and strengthen Africa’s ability to trade under a unified digital economy.
