Pakistan and Meta Launch Academy to Help Small Businesses Adopt AI and Digital Tools
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has partnered with Meta to launch the Small Business Growth Academy, a programme aimed at helping more than 1,000 small businesses develop practical digital and AI skills.
The initiative is designed to support small and medium-sized businesses as they adopt digital platforms and AI-enabled tools for marketing, customer engagement, productivity and business expansion. Training will combine in-person and online workshops, structured learning modules and partner-led sessions. Participants will learn how to strengthen their digital presence, reach new customers, automate elements of customer interaction and explore opportunities in domestic and international markets.
The programme will place particular emphasis on women-led businesses and will operate across nine cities: Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan, Hyderabad, Peshawar and Quetta. The Small Business Growth Academy will focus on practical applications of Meta’s digital platforms and AI-enabled technologies.
Training will cover areas including customer acquisition, digital marketing, productivity and automated customer interactions. Entrepreneurs will also be introduced to ways digital tools can help them expand into new markets. The programme will be implemented by AtomCamp and supported by Ignite National Technology Fund, Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and DialZero.
The initiative brings together government bodies, industry organisations and private-sector technology expertise to support digital adoption among smaller businesses. “Small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, and empowering them with digital and AI capabilities is central to the Prime Minister’s vision of an inclusive, innovation-driven future,” said Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Khawaja.
She said the partnership reflects the government’s focus on public-private collaboration to strengthen digital skills and support the Digital Nation Pakistan agenda. The programme will give particular attention to women-led businesses and companies operating in sectors including textiles, handicrafts and IT services.
With training taking place across nine major cities, the initiative is intended to reach businesses beyond Pakistan’s largest commercial centres and help smaller companies use digital channels to access customers outside their immediate markets. For businesses in export-oriented sectors, improved digital marketing, customer engagement and online sales capabilities could provide additional routes to international customers.
The initiative reflects the growing use of AI tools among smaller businesses, where entrepreneurs can access technologies for marketing, customer communications and routine business processes without having to build their own AI infrastructure. For many SMEs, the challenge is therefore shifting from access to technology towards understanding how to apply available tools effectively to specific business needs.
“At Meta, we see every day how small businesses use our AI-enabled tools to reach customers and grow,” said Tehara Punchihewa, Associate Public Policy Manager for Asia-Pacific at Meta. “The Small Business Growth Academy is about giving more entrepreneurs the practical skills and support they need to use these tools confidently, compete more effectively, and take part in the opportunities being created by the digital economy.”
The Pakistan programme forms part of a wider Meta initiative being rolled out across 12 Asia-Pacific countries. Its curriculum will be adapted to Pakistan’s market, with an emphasis on skills that can support business growth, market access and competitiveness. The programme’s longer-term impact will depend on whether participating businesses continue using the digital and AI tools after completing the training and incorporate them into their day-to-day operations.
