Google spends 20% of $1b budget, beginning with first cloud region
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Google has spent 20 per cent of its $1 billion budget for a five-year plan for African projects, beginning with the establishment of its first cloud region on the continent.
Google Africa Managing Director Nitin Gajria disclosed at the Google for Africa 2022 event the tech giant last year committed $1 billion over five years to increase connectivity and invest in companies to accelerate Africa’s digital development.
Google is focusing this year on how it is fulfilling the pledge, he said.
He listed other African projects to include
- Connectivity to more people in Africa, with Equiano subsea cable now linked to Togo, Nigeria, Namibia, and South Africa, and operations set to begin by the end of 2022
- Voice typing support for nine additional African languages
- A refresh of Street View in Kenya, South Africa, and Senegal
- Opening of Google’s new product development centre in Kenya, and the expansion of AI development centre in Accra
- Investments in entrepreneurship and technology, including a $4 million Google for Startups Black Founders Fund to support 60 African startups
Gajria said the new Google Cloud region would be established in South Africa, its first on the continent.
The new Cloud Region will help users, developers, businesses and educational institutions across the continent to move more information and tools online, improve access options for customers and, in turn, create jobs.
Research by AlphaBeta Economics, commissioned by Google Cloud, shows South Africa Cloud Region will contribute more than a cumulative $2.1 billion to the country’s GDP, and support the creation of more than 40,000 jobs by 2030.
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Open, healthy ecosystem
“We believe in growing an open and healthy ecosystem of technology solutions to support Africa’s digital transformation goals, which leads to more opportunities for businesses,” Google Cloud Africa Director Niral Patel said, per ThisDay.
“It is part of our company-wide ethos to respect the environment, which is why we operate the cleanest cloud in the industry, supporting sustainable digital transformation.”
Stimulating ICT growth
“Our National Development Plan 2030 calls for stimulating growth in the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector and innovation by driving public and private ICT investment, especially in network upgrades and expansion,” added South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Philly Mapulane.
Acceleration of African digital transformation
Google announced earlier this year plans to open its first African product development centre in Nairobi to develop and build better products for Africa and the world.
It launched on 6 October voice typing support for nine more African languages in Gboard, the Google keyboard.
Google reiterated commitment to supporting African small businesses through the Hustle Academy and Google Business Profiles, and help job seekers learn skills through Developer Scholarships and Career Certifications.
Gajria said Google is collaborating with governments, policymakers, NGOs, telcos, business leaders, creators, and media to help accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.
