Google to take businesses online (Google getting Nigerian Businesses online GNBO).

Google to take businesses online (Google getting Nigerian Businesses online GNBO).

Global information Technology giant , Google in conjunction with Ecobank and telecommunication giant MTN have engineered an initiative called “Getting Nigerian Businesses Online.”

This is to increase the number of Nigerian businesses online. Mrs Juliet Ehimuan, the Google country manager said on Friday that the initiative was targeted at helping small and medium scale Enterprises create their first website for them to tap from the opportunities offered by a web presence on the internet.

According to her, the initiative will transform the Nigeria SME landscape and contribute to the country’s economic growth by making it quick, easy and free for businesses to register an online presence, at a time when more and more Nigerians are accessing the internet.

She said , “Google believes that the power of the internet will help small businesses in Nigeria to succeed .The number of internet users in Nigeria has increased fourfold since year 2008, and now stands at over 43 million. Having a website means that customers can find local businesses and local information easily and quickly. This year we plan to help thousands of Nigerian SMEs get online, together with our partners”

Mrs Omobola Johnson, the minister of Communication Technology corroborated what the Google boss said “in line with its objectives to build a viable digital economy and sustainable information society in Nigeria ,the ministry of communication Technology supports projects and initiatives that increases the online presence of businesses in Nigeria. Which includes Google’s Getting Nigerian Businesses Online Initiative and its goal of facilitating the online registration of thousands of small and medium scale businesses.”

The GNBO initiative which is aimed at taking thousands of Nigerian businesses online over the next year, giving them web presence and enables businesses to develop a free, easy- to -build, professional website for desktop and mobile computers.

It also offers free sub domain names, free hosting for the life of the website, a free local business listing on Google places with the purchase of a custom domain name as well as 10 free email accounts to match the domain name among others.

The Executive Director, Domestic Bank, Ecobank Nigeria PLC Mr Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo said “ Nigeria’s economy is expanding at a fast pace and the growth of small and medium businesses plays an important part of this.”