Google Station Nigeria : High-quality Wi-Fi Hotspots across Nigeria (Get locations for Free Wi-Fi in Lagos) - #GoogleForNigeria

Google Station Nigeria is a reality resulting from Google partaking in a Co-working tech/innovation event that is fronting the Google For Nigeria Event in Victoria Island, Lagos. Google have always seek to connect Africa and help many businesses succeed. In the second day of the Google for Nigeria. They tech giant announced more products and programs to help more people in Nigeria and across Africa benefit from the opportunities the web has to offer.
Google Stations Launched In Nigeria Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) at the launch of Google Station in Lagos.

Google Stations Nigeria is a program to provide high-quality, high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots in partnership with 21st Century, one of the largest fiber network providers in Nigeria.Nigeria is the fifth country in which Google is launching Google Station, after India, Indonesia, Thailand and Mexico. Nigeria is in serious need of internet access. Across Africa while internet connectivity is gradually growing, it is still grossly insufficient and the government don’t care, so it is left for NGO’s and private bodies like Google. According to google research on internet access in Africa, the continent is far behind the rest of the world.

Only 35 percent of Africans have access to the web, compared to 48 percent in Asia, 67 in Latin America, 85 in Europe and 95 in North America. Many internet users in Africa don’t have Wi-Fi in their homes, relying instead on the few public Wi-Fi hotspots to connect and heavy dependence on Mobile Data to communicate and learn.
Top Google Searches in Nigeria 2018 as revealed in the event

Google Station will be rolling out in 200 locations in five cities across Nigeria by the end of 2019, bringing Wi-Fi to millions of people. Sites will include markets, transport hubs, shopping malls, universities and more. Currently Lagos is the city Google is starting with. Below you will fine five places in Lagos that you can use Google Station free Super Speed Wi-Fi:
Ikeja City Mall
Computer Village
Domestic Airport
The Palms
Lekki Landmark Center.

More : Fuchsia : Google Planned Successor to Android
Other Google Initiatives for Nigeria and Africa at Large

Google have been bring lots of innovations to Nigeria and Africa at large. I will just highlight a few below.
 
Google VP of Marketing Marvin Chow, is talking about how Artificial intelligence and Machine learning is brining new tools and solutions to farmers and fashion designers across the world. AI can solve real problems for people no matter the size
Google Search & Maps

In March Google launched our job search experience in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa and this week, the tech giant is expanding it to another 32 countries in Africa. In Nigeria, they are also launching a new Search experience that allows you to explore health conditions based on symptoms. And a new recipe search experience helps you easily explore options for popular meals when you need them. For example “Afang” , “Jollof”, “Amala” and more.
On Google Maps Go, You can now easily fine the feature you need, Google is launching a navigation feature so that users with low memory phones or unstable network connections can use turn-by-turn directions whether you’re travelling by car, by bus or on foot.
If You are a fan of Google Street view, Google have you covered, now Nigerian landmarks and natural wonders are on StreetView, so that Nigerians and others can discover more of the country. You can now virtually tour the National Museum in Lagos, Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, the Millenium Park in Abuja, Lekki Conservation Centre and many others, all from the comfort of your phone.

Digital Training Across Africa Google digital skills program has trained more than 2.5 million Africans and they aim to reach the 10 million as promised. The company is also training more than 9,000 Africans developers who are on their way to becoming Google certified. Google is working with Udacity and Andela, to provide a 15,000 two-month “single course” scholarships and 500 six-month nanodegree scholarships to aspiring and professional developers across Africa.
Supporting startups and non-profit organizations
In March, Google started the first class of Launchpad Accelerator Africa, the program aim to provide over $3 million in equity-free support to African tech startups and offering them mentorship, working space and access to technology. Twelve startups graduated, with more than 20 teams from Google and 40 mentors from nine countries supporting them. The startups have directly created 132 jobs and, between them, have raised over $7 million in funding. Their products are being used by approximately 4.5 million people. Isn’t that great.
Google Impact Challenge is currently on going and it forms a part of our $20 million Google.org commitment to Africa over the next five years. Even though Google have closed the application process with more than 5,500 entries, 36 nonprofit and social enterprise innovators who have the best uses of technology to tackle Africa’s biggest challenges are currently be selected.




Android Go

With Smartphone becoming more readily available across Africa, only few people know the part that Google is playing. Bringing the power of computing to more people is Google’s aim as they launched of Android Go Versions.
This year Google launched Android 8.1 (Go Edition) in Nigeria and 29 other African countries. Android Go is a configuration of Android optimised for smartphones with 1GB of RAM memory or less. By enhancing our pre-installed Google apps to take up 50 percent less space, by that they succeeded in doubling the amount of available storage on entry-level devices.
Across Africa, Transsion, Nokia, Huawei, and Mobicel have launched various devices, starting at just over 17,000 Naira. Through Android Go, Google through Android Go are enabling entry-level devices to be affordable, fully functioning smartphones that can browse the web and use apps.
Google have done a lot for Nigeria and Africa as a whole. I am personally please with the Google Station launched in Nigeria. Whether i will benefit directly or not , I want to say : Thank You Google!