#GoogleForNigeria 2018 Event, Highlights, Announcements, and more

Jul 28, 2018

Tech giants Google hold second #GoogleForNigeria event.

#GoogleForNigeria

#GoogleForNigeria 2018 showcased Google’s latest offerings for the Africa region. From android go apps to lite data saving go apps, services, free Wifi spots across Nigeria and Go devices for the Africa region. 

Getting the event underway the Google Nigeria country director, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor spoke about googles decade on the continent. She mentioned Google’s desire to “build more products and programs that work for the African people and their various hustles”. “Smartphone usage is growing and users need to have products that work for them” said Juliet.  

Watch Highlights from the #GoogleForNigeria Playground 

Google announced low cost Android Go devices and a new lite version of Android Oreo, “Android Oreo Go”. This version google says “is a configuration of Android optimized for smartphones with 1GB of RAM memory or less“. It will come pre-installed with Google apps to take up 50 percent less space. 

Some device partners for the $50 smart phones are “Transsion, Nokia, Huawei and Mobicel”. These devices will be available across 30 African countries.

Through Android Go, we’re enabling entry-level devices to be affordable, fully functioning smartphones that can browse the web and use apps. This is all part of our aim of helping more people to get access to computing. And of our ongoing commitment to building platforms and products that are useful for billions and that help people to make the most of the internet“.

Google Nigeria in partnership with 21st Century Technologies are introducing Google Stations. This will be free Wi-Fi hotspots destinations across Nigeria. The plan is to have 200 hotspot across the country by 2019. Currently there are 6 destinations in Lagos where this is already live. Landmark event center, The Palms Mall, University of Lagos, Murtala Mohammed Airport, Domestic Terminal, Ikeja City Mall and Computer Village. 

The google playground from the highlights video above showcased lite app versions that are data saving centric. Applications like Google Go, Google Maps Go, YouTube Go.

Google will also be increasing street view to 7 more cities in Lagos as they expand their discover Nigeria gallery.