One of Google’s ambitions in Africa is to make the use of web technology widespread as a means to communicate, do business, solve social problems and recreate. Google also hopes its platform and technologies will drive this revolution and one of the ways they facilitate this is by organizing a two-day annual event called Google Nigeria.

The last Google Nigeria held on March 15 and 16, 2012, at the Civic Center, Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Google Nigeria, gnigeria, is an event organized by Google and during which Google interacts with web developers and businesses letting them know of the technology tools developed by Google and which can be use to solve personal, societal and business problems.

These technology tools include Google search engine, Gmail, Google plus, Google app engine, Google baraza, Google trader and the Google android operating system. These tools are powerful and are mostly intuitive and easy to use. Though a few require imagination, technical understanding and know-how in order to tweak them to meet ones requirements.

Google VP On-Stage	Cross-section of Participants

This year’s event was packed with speeches, presentations, demonstrations and training sessions through which Google staff (googlers) showcased the latest technology tools from Google and explained how they can be used.

But it wasn’t serious tech talk all the way because there were tea breaks and lunch breaks during which there was plenty good food, drinks and music to entertain participants. This also provided the right opportunity for participants to interact, get to know what the other was up to and possibly forge friendships and collaborations with could lead to rewarding returns. There was also plenty of opportunity to take photos and interact with googlers in smaller informal gatherings.

GNigeria is very useful and we at Caseray Solutions Limited can attest that it has inspired and aided our development as a Nigerian Web IT Company with the mission to use the best technologies to solve local problems. The event allows us to get to know what other start-ups are up to and how they are thriving in the Nigerian business clime. We picked up several ideas this year which we will develop.

For instance we have adopted Google Plus, Google’s own social network, and we will make active use of this new technology to ensure we get benefits from it. Our Google Plus page is https://plus.google.com/b/113736890113046871426/.

To start using Google’s technologies is simple and all one requires is to sign up to a Gmail account, if one doesn’t already have one and, voila, one has access to the Google technologies. If you are brave enough to try it out, do set up your own Google Plus page and ‘plus’ us at https://plus.google.com/b/113736890113046871426/. We will plus you back.

Cheers!

Ugo with a Googler	YouTube