Microsoft will be empowering about two thousand micro, small and medium-sized businesses at Techpoint SME Clinic this year.
4Afrika, Microsoft’s business and market development engine in Africa, is supporting the training of small businesses on ways to automate their business processes and use technology to scale. Techpoint SME Clinic is scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria on 29th February 2020.
Microsoft shares, it is partnering with Techpoint as their SME clinic vision aligns with the 4Afrika vision. That is “to turn today’s ideas from Africa through the power of technology into solutions“. The company will provide SMEs with digital transformation, scalability and sustainability opportunities.
Amongst others, the SMEs will learn; how to take a business online the right way. How to market products and services online and how to get loans and funding for business.
Head of Strategic Partnerships at Microsoft 4Afrika, Soromfe Uzomah notes SMEs are most in need of six things. Access to finance, markets, affordable technology, information and skills and services. These he says are essential for their scalability and sustainability.
“Together with our partners, we provide SMEs access to all of these. Through initiatives such as Microsoft for Startups, MySkills4Afrika, Microsoft Virtual Academy, Biz4Afrika and Interns 4Afrika. On our educational platforms, our training content is tailored to suit the different growth stages of an SME.”
Microsoft says the 4Afrika initiative has reached 1.7 million small and medium businesses and supported more than 300 startups.
Do you run an SME in Nigeria? Click to register and learn how to accelerate your business in 2020 with the power of technology.
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The second cohort of the Microsoft LEAP Apprenticeship program gets underway in Nigeria. With ten ladies from across Nigeria selected for the second edition of the program. The initiative is to increases diversity by training more women into software engineering roles.
The ladies will undergo four weeks of classroom and labs training in Software engineering. Followed by twelve weeks of hands-on project sessions with Microsoft Partner Wragby Technologies. Where they will work with mentors on projects.
Microsoft notes, ladies from the Microsoft LEAP Apprenticeship program first cohort have completed their training and are all full-time employees at Tek Expert.
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Microsoft Nigeria is hosting an official store on the Jumia Nigeria online mall.
Microsoft now has an official store page on the Jumia Nigeria online mall. A move to help consumers and businesses buy and use genuine Microsoft products and solutions. This solves an earlier challenge as payments are in the local currency, Naira.
The Microsoft store page currently features only Microsoft Office 365 product suites. Offering Office 365 business, Office 365 Business Essentials and Office 365 Business Premium. The store page mentions buying Windows 10 software, that is not presently available.
Get the best tools you need on Microsoft official store page on Jumia mall. Find the best deals on this page. Do more with Office 365 for less. Are you are interested in Windows 10 software? Everything you are looking for is available online at the lowest prices.
Microsoft Nigeria earlier this year also partnered with FirstBank Nigeria. To provide SME’s with an education platform and access to its productivity suite tools at discounted rates payable in Naira.
Microsoft discourages piracy as it has so many negative effects it brings to a software user. Malware ransomware being a major one that opens a software user to cyber attacks. But buying genuine software was a challenge in the African region. This narrative is however changing.
We are unable to confirm to you at this moment if there will be products targeted at individuals. As well as if other Microsoft products like the Surface and Xbox devices will be available in the near future. Or if the Microsoft store will become available in Jumia’s other ten online malls across Africa.
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Global AI Bootcamp is here again. Interested in learning about artificial intelligence(AI) and Microsoft Azure? Then the Global AI Bootcamp presents you with that opportunity. Join others learners worldwide in the one day, free event at a local meetup near you.
The Global AI Bootcamp is a free one-day event. Organized by local communities all over the world that are passionate about Artificial Intelligence on the Microsoft stack. The next event takes place on the 14th of December 2019 on venues all over the world, supported by Microsoft.
There are Global AI Bootcamp meetups taking place all over Nigeria. Know of other Global AI Bootcamp meetups in Nigeria we haven’t included? Share them with us.
Don’t forget to join the communities for updates on future events.
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Are you a female developer living in Nigeria? Apply to participate in the second cohort of the Microsoft Nigeria LEAP Engineering Acceleration Program.
The LEAP Engineering Acceleration Program is a Microsoft initiative that tries to increase diversity. Bringing more women into software engineering roles. By providing them with real world experience through development and project management apprenticeships with hands-on projects.
Speaking to me about the program, Princess Anya, shares that the ladies will undergo four weeks of classroom and labs training. After which they will proceed to do twelve weeks of hands-on project sessions. Where they handle projects with guidance from mentors.
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Microsoft says skills development remains at the heart of its mission to empower everyone to achieve more. Doing this through a combination of strategic partnerships, trainings, real-world experiences and online classrooms environments. The company also says it provides future skills to those entering the industry and those already in the workforce.
Microsoft LEAP Engineering Acceleration Program (LEAP) is an initiative led by the Global Innovation Team and sponsored by Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft.
Akin Banuso, Microsoft Country Manager Nigeria and Ghana, notes that Microsoft believes in contributing to human capital development, empowering the youth and creating opportunities for individuals and organisations. As this will cultivate an environment that allows for growth of the knowledge-based economy.
“As a technology company, we are acutely aware of the responsibility we have to ensure all workers have a path to gain relevant skills. No matter where they are in their careers. For this reason, we will continue to – in partnership with non-profit organisations, government bodies, learning institutions and other entities – empower those already in the workforce with the capabilities needed to ensure financial stability, economic prosperity and opportunities for personal growth.”
The ladies in the software apprenticeship program will firstly receive 4 weeks of classroom training on Software Support Engineering. Then 12 weeks of hands-on projects training involving real life scenarios at partner organization Tek Experts.
