Google exceeds USD 1bn Africa investment target

Google has exceeded a five-year target to invest $1 billion in Africa, it said on Wednesday, ​as it made public initiatives on infrastructure and development ‌of AI to accelerate the continent's digital growth.

They follow on from Google's launch of a cloud for the Johannesburg region in 2025.

Here are ​the details of the new initiatives that Google, ​owned by Alphabet, announced at the first Africa Cloud ⁠Summit in Johannesburg.

Google will establish a connectivity hub in South ​Africa's Eastern Cape, the first of four planned connectivity hubs ​on the continent.

The facility will link Africa to Australia via the Umoja subsea cable and to India through a new route, strengthening internet ​resilience and capacity.

Africa's first applied AI lab in Ghana will ​pair local startups with Google researchers and provide early access to its ‌AI ⁠models.
A more than $1 million programme in partnership with UK actor Idris Elba's Akuna Group will train underrepresented creators in AI-driven storytelling.

Google's Economic and Community Development programme and WeThinkCode have committed ​to build a ​3 million ⁠rand ($183,468) digital innovation centre in Soweto, Johannesburg.

Google also said its startup accelerator programme will back ​15 South African firms as part of Google's ​pledge ⁠to back 50 African ventures between 2024 and 2028.

"The AI opportunity for Africa is significant, and Google is committed to doing ⁠our ​part working with Africans to help Africa ​realise it," James Manyika, Google's senior vice president for research and technology, ​told reporters.

-Reuters