By Ever wonder how
IOM finds collaborators? Well, in this instance, it ‘Googles’ them. Literally. Since
5 December, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been
partnering with Google Nigeria to conduct IOM’s first Digital Skills Training
for returnees and potential migrants in Benin City, Edo State and Ikeja, Lagos
State. The training drew 93
participants, including returning migrants, interested in setting up
small-scale businesses as well as mentorship and job placement opportunities.
The one-day training consisted of hands-on sessions on how to build
participants’ online presence and improve their search campaigns, job-seeking
skills online.
“Today I learned how to register my business
online and how to use Google ads. This will help me get more customers and it
will save me a lot of money and time,” said Owegie, a trainee.
Most Nigerian returnees are between the ages of
18-35, and many of them return with knowledge, skills and experiences they
gained prior to- or during their migration experience.
IOM’s partnership with Google highlights the
private sector’s contribution to returnees’ sustainable reintegration in
Nigeria.
“This training is aimed at helping participants
start a career in digital marketing, be encouraged to build digital start-ups,
and advance in the workplace,” said Temitope Saliu, Growth Tribe Africa
trainer for Google Digital Skills Programme.
The initiative complements the traditional
business skills training, which equips Nigerian returnees with the knowledge
and skills to prepare themselves for the next steps in their reintegration and
kickstart small businesses. Business skills training is an opportunity for
returning migrants to meet one another and allows returnees to share their
experiences and pool together their in-kind assistance, skills, and resources
to establish more sustainable businesses.
Since 2017, IOM’s reintegration support has
contributed to the development of over 44 different types of small-scale
businesses in all Nigeria.
Following the event, the trainees will have
access to the Google Digital Skills for
Africa e-learning
platform to continue their learning.
“The digital skills training will help improve
the participants’ use of digital skills to contribute to their economic growth
as entrepreneurs, thereby further filling in critical gaps in the labour
market, fitting their businesses within existing supply chains, and invariably
contributing to development,” explained Alex Cole, IOM Nigeria Programme
Support Officer – Migrant Protection and Assistance.
This activity is co-financed by the GIZ,
commissioned by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany under the
Strengthening Assistance for Returnees and Potential Migrants and Promoting
Safe Migration Practices Project in Communities of Origin.
