Google has opened registrations for the 2026 Google Hustle Academy, a free AI and digital skills programme for entrepreneurs, students and small business owners in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. The 2026 edition is redesigned around one-day bootcamps and 60-minute webinars, replacing the longer formats of previous years.

Previous cohorts have produced over 20,000 alumni across Africa, with 18,000+ of them SMEs reporting revenue lifts and new hires. The programme is run with UpSkill Universe, now in its fifth year of partnership with Google. 

Modules cover practical AI for business, market strategy, sales funnels, and creative automation, plus access to Google career certificates in data analytics, UX design, IT support, AI and digital marketing. 

Context for why it matters: SAP says 90% of African businesses already report negative impacts from the AI skills shortage, while generative AI is projected to add $100bn (R1.66trn) a year to the continent's economy. Registration is open here.

A working entrepreneur cannot disappear for a week, and neither can a student between lectures and a side gig. Cutting it down to a one-day bootcamp or a 60-minute webinar is the kind of practical decision that gets bums in seats. Whether the AI content lands depends on the depth, but at zero cost and zero week-long commitment, the bar to try is now genuinely low.

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