Global technology giant, Zoho said that, despite the current state of the economy, it expanded by 31% in Nigeria in 2023—one of its most important markets in Africa.
In the meantime, it is collaborating with Bridge International Academies to support the education of the nation’s impoverished children as one of its ways of giving back to the community. The news was made by the firm at its user convention, “Zoholics Nigeria,” which took place in Lagos.
In continuity to offering its more than 55 apps in Naira to assist regional companies in hedging against volatile exchange rates, the company has thrived.
According to Kehinde Ogundare, Zoho Nigeria’s Country Head: “As we continue to grow our presence in Africa, our focus is on ensuring that our expansion positively impacts the local economy, communities, and the broader business ecosystem.”
Continuing, he had this say: “This approach aligns with our transnational localism strategy, which emphasises being rooted in local markets while staying globally connected. To support this, we are committed to hiring local talent, strengthening our partner network, and creating products tailored to the local market. Additionally, to serve the community, we are supporting the education of children and also undertaking sustainability initiatives.”
BrandSpur news brand reports that Zoho and Bridge International Academies are collaborating to launch a significant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria.
This partnership’s main goal is to sponsor school uniforms, four terms of fees, and other necessities for students attending Bridge International Academies, thereby assisting 200 youngsters from underprivileged communities in their educational endeavours.
The goal of this program is to address the issue of financial limitations that prevent many students from having access to necessary school supplies. Recognizing the vital role education plays in the growth of society, Zoho is dedicated to dismantling these obstacles by providing essential resources for Bridge International Academies students.
Furthermore, by providing Bridge International Academies with Zoho Wallet Credits to enable them to use the company’s technology, Zoho hopes to support Bridge International Academies in its digitalisation efforts.
According to the Bridge International Academies’ Managing Director in Nigeria, Foyinsola Akinjayeju: “Every child has the right to education, yet many children from underprivileged backgrounds face significant barriers to accessing quality learning opportunities. That’s why we are committed to transforming the lives of millions of children in underserved communities by delivering life-changing education. Through strategic partnerships, we aim to bridge this gap by providing vital resources and high-quality education to the students we serve. We are thrilled and deeply grateful for our partnership with Zoho, as our shared commitment to delivering meaningful value is at the heart of what unites us.”
Additionally, Zoho recycles its out-of-home advertisements billboards and makes bags out of them. So far, more than 1,300 flexes from Kenya and more than 500 from Nigeria have been recycled.
Ogundare adds: “At Zoho, we believe that our growth should go hand in hand with the success of our customers, partners, employees, and the communities we are part of. In Nigeria, we embrace this same philosophy by hiring locally, expanding our partner network, and offering affordable technology tailored to meet local needs. For the community, we have been investing in youth upskilling initiatives and are now extending support to children’s education. We are also committed to strengthening our sustainability efforts, including expanding our recycling programmes, such as flex recycling.”
The Rise of Zoho in Nigeria has seen significant evolution since its launch in 2020, witnessing remarkable growth in the Nigerian market.
In Nigeria, Zoho has experienced a 43% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the last three years. The number of partners for Zoho increased by 21% in 2023 alone. Furthermore, the corporation increased the number of local employees in Nigeria by 40% the year before.
The popular adoption of Zoho’s major products—Zoho Workplace, Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, Zoho CRM, and Zoho One—is the main factor for Zoho’s success in Nigeria. These items have been essential in increasing efficiency, bettering consumer satisfaction, and streamlining corporate processes.
Key industries, including financial services, energy, real estate, and construction, IT hardware & related services, professional services (non-IT), utilities and resources, and retail, are what propel Zoho’s development in the Nigerian region.
Zoho announced earlier this year several upskilling alliances throughout Africa. The company collaborated with She Code Africa, a nonprofit organisation devoted to training and upskilling African women in technology, as part of the Young Creators Program. To give SCA Academy trainers the tools they needed to use Zoho Creator, a low-code app development platform, Zoho organised “train the trainer” events. After that, more SCA Academy participants will receive training from the trainers on how to use low-code technology to create powerful apps that solve actual business problems.
For the “Hope for Literacy” campaign in Kenya, the business partnered with MOMO Pencils, a well-known producer of environmentally friendly stationery in Nairobi. By giving children in underprivileged communities better access to high-quality education and encouraging environmental sustainability and eco-friendly practices in schools, the program aims to fight intergenerational poverty.
To instruct JKUAT technology students, Zoho also collaborated with J-Hub Africa, the digital innovation hub at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Through this relationship, students will learn how to make use of Zoho’s cloud-based business apps, improve their technological proficiency, and get ready for a wide range of career options across multiple industries.
Recently, to close the skills gap and increase the number of women in technology, Zoho and BabesGotBytes partnered in South Africa to provide over 40 girls and women with digital skills through an extensive one-year boot camp.
Furthermore, to improve the employability and workforce preparation of thirty-six economically disadvantaged kids, Zoho collaborated with CodeTelligence to sponsor a six-month boot camp that offered IT training and mentorship.
