In the beginning The morning of March 15th, 2015 was a different Monday morning at Google. In front of top mobile executives from around the world, Google’s then product chief, Sundar Pichai, talking about one of Google’s promising projects said, “[It] started about four years ago as an experimental idea. When you think about it, […]
A year after Google’s Moonshot Factory celebrated its first decade, it’s shutting down one of its projects: Loon. Launched in 2013, the project Loon is a cost-effective solution to the difficult challenge of bringing internet access to people in underserved remote areas. But two years after making it a separate division, Google has accepted that […]
My Life In Tech is putting human faces to some of the innovative startups, investments and policy formations driving the technology sector across Africa. This week, MLIT spoke with Sodiq Akinjobi who just handed over leadership as a Google Developer Club Student Lead. If you do not know a lot about the club’s impact and activities, […]
Google is putting its weight against global coronavirus misinformation by offering a $6.5 million funding package to fact-checkers and non-profit media outlets. The internet search company set up the Google News Initiative (GNI) to “help journalism thrive in the digital age.” Through the initiative, the company hopes to direct internet news readers to accurate information […]
Access to credit in Africa is difficult because banks consider retail loans risky. But payday lenders are filling this gap, promising instant loans with no collateral. While they provide credit, they have high interest rates and repayment periods can force customers into a debt cycle. In response to these concerns, Google updated its policies. Introduced […]
Google’s Policy and Government Relations Lead (West/Francophone Africa), Titi Akinsanmi’s life and career, an intricately intertwined unit, are built on three pillars: a four-word mandate, a Latin mantra and actionable faith. On the evening we meet, she is preparing to attend Google’s end of year Christmas party in Lagos having been in the country a […]
