By Juliet Umeh
To ensure progress in Africa’s digital transformation, UpSkill Universe, in partnership with Google and HP Inc., has launched the Skills for Business programme.
The initiative is a tech-enabled programme aimed at equipping 10,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, in Nigeria and South Africa with critical digital skills to compete in today’s fast-evolving business landscape.
The initiative leverages a powerful blend of AI-powered tools, digital marketing know-how, e-commerce strategies, and tech literacy, helping entrepreneurs build future-proof businesses. Through HP’s HP LIFE digital learning platform and Google’s extensive business enablement experience, SMEs will access over 30 tech-focused modules, including “Boost Productivity with AI”, “Digital Marketing Essentials,” and “Starting Your E-commerce Journey.”
CEO of UpSkill Universe, Gori Yahaya, emphasized the urgency of equipping Africa’s SMEs with scalable technology solutions: “Entrepreneurs across Africa are already change-makers. But in an increasingly AI-driven and customer-centric world, access to practical, digital skills is no longer optional, it’s essential. With Google and HP, we’re providing real-world tools that empower businesses to thrive online and offline.”
Building on the momentum of the Google Hustle Academy, which trained over 15,000 SMEs since 2022, the new Skills for Business program pivots toward hands-on, action-oriented learning, with immersive courses, expert-led virtual workshops, and mobile-friendly learning tools to drive impact at scale.
Google’s involvement deepens the initiative’s digital transformation backbone. Head of B2B & Brand Marketing, SSA, Kristy Grant, stated: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of African economies. By giving them access to digital technologies and training, we’re enabling them to unlock growth, resilience, and long-term impact, starting from their own communities.”
Meanwhile, HP LIFE, the HP Foundation’s free global platform, will serve as a key delivery channel, offering localized training content in eight languages and across offline-friendly formats for rural access. The content spans critical areas of business and tech, ensuring inclusive access across diverse business types and geographies.
Global Head of Social Impact at HP Inc. and Executive Director of the HP Foundation, Michele Malejki, reaffirmed HP’s commitment: “When small businesses thrive, communities prosper. The Skills for Business program is about making AI and tech skills not just accessible but transformational. By 2030, HP is committed to digitally empowering 150 million people, and this program is a cornerstone of that journey.”
With a commitment to gender inclusion, the initiative also aims to have at least 50 percent participation from women-owned businesses, further driving equity in tech access and business growth.
Participating SMEs will benefit from direct training while an additional 59,000 individuals are expected to be indirectly impacted by 2025 through cascading knowledge, peer learning, and ripple effects across value chains.
For business owners like one Lagos-based participant, the difference is already palpable:“The Hustle Academy changed how we reach customers online. These tools are not just useful, they’re transformative.”
As African SMEs face increasing pressure to adapt to global trends, the Skills for Business program offers a timely, tech-forward lifeline, bridging digital divides and unlocking scalable growth across the continent.
