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.