google
Google has announced the establishment of four strategic connectivity hubs across Africa, marking a significant expansion of the company’s infrastructure investments that have already surpassed its original $1 billion commitment to the continent made in 2021.
The four connectivity hubs will serve as landing stations for Google’s expanding subsea cable network, with locations strategically positioned in Africa’s northern, eastern, southern and western regions. Google Africa Managing Director Alex Okosi confirmed that the company has already exceeded its initial five-year, $1 billion investment pledge, signaling the tech giant’s deepening commitment to African digital transformation.
The infrastructure development directly supports Google’s major subsea cable projects across the continent. The hubs will serve as critical points for its subsea fiber-optic cables, Equiano and Umoja, which are set to land this year. The Equiano cable, which became operational in March 2023, runs along Africa’s west coast connecting the continent to Europe, while the groundbreaking Umoja cable represents the first direct subsea connection between Africa and Australia.
Speaking to Bloomberg Television, Okosi emphasized the strategic importance of these facilities in reducing internet costs for African consumers. “The hubs allow us to land the cables on the continent in a much more effective way and reduce the cost for the average user to access the internet,” he explained, highlighting the infrastructure’s role in preparing Africa for emerging artificial intelligence opportunities.
The announcement gains particular significance given Africa’s ongoing connectivity challenges. The move marks another phase in the company’s ongoing efforts to expand affordable, stable internet access in Africa, where services remain patchy and prone to disruption. The initiative is expected to improve resilience against outages that often affect entire regions when cables are damaged.
While Google has not disclosed specific locations for all four hubs, the company confirmed that South Africa will host one of the facilities, building on the country’s position as a regional technology center.
The connectivity announcement forms part of a broader investment package that includes educational initiatives designed to accelerate Africa’s participation in the global AI economy. Google unveiled $9 million in fresh funding for African universities and research institutions over the next year, alongside a one-year free subscription to Google AI Pro for tertiary students in South Africa and six other African countries.
These latest pledges build on Google’s long-term $1 billion investment in Africa, which has included expanding connectivity, training millions in digital skills, and supporting 153 startups from 17 African nations through the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa.
The timing of Google’s expanded African investment reflects growing global recognition of the continent’s digital potential. With a young, rapidly growing population and increasing smartphone adoption, Africa represents one of the world’s most promising markets for digital services and artificial intelligence applications.
Industry experts view Google’s infrastructure investments as potentially transformative for African economies, particularly in addressing the continent’s historically high internet costs and unreliable connectivity that have hindered digital economic development.
The connectivity hubs represent Google’s latest commitment to what Okosi described as the foundation of the company’s African strategy. “We continue to invest in infrastructure, cloud services, and AI research to unlock Africa’s digital potential,” he stated, indicating that further investments may follow as the continent’s digital infrastructure needs continue to expand.
For African governments and businesses, the enhanced connectivity infrastructure promises improved access to global digital markets, cloud computing services, and emerging AI technologies that could accelerate economic diversification and technological innovation across the continent.