Google is also deepening its product offering in Nigeria including improving its Maps service which has seen Nigerian user numbers double in the past year. As an added feature for Maps, Google announced the launch of its Street View product in Lagos which allows users to virtually view “10,000 kilometers of imagery” across the city.

Pichai said his company is also trying to plug the crucial funding and skills gap on the continent. Google has committed $20 million in grants to “high impact non-profits” in Africa over the next few years. Google will also provide $3 million in equity-free funding to African entrepreneurs and open its first Google Launchpad Space outside the United States in Lagos this year.

In addition, Pichai said, Google will train over 100,000 software developers across the continent, with an initial focus on Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. The training sessions will also be offered in local languages including Swahili, Hausa and Zulu and 40% of trainees will be women.

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