Google is strengthening its digital footprint in Africa with plans to establish four new infrastructure hubs across the continent.
The hubs—comprising landing stations and data centres—will connect Google’s latest subsea fibre-optic cables to northern, western, southern, and eastern Africa, significantly boosting internet access.
Alex Okosi, Google’s Managing Director for Africa, told Bloomberg that the investment is fully funded by the company and has already surpassed the $1 billion commitment pledged for Africa between 2021 and 2026.
He said the initiative is designed to address connectivity challenges in Africa, where internet access remains patchy, costly, and easily disrupted when undersea cables are damaged.
Two new cables, Equiano and Umoja, are expected to land on the continent this year.
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The hubs, which are projected to be completed within three years, are also expected to reduce costs for major telecom operators such as MTN Group and Vodacom, enabling them to offer more affordable broadband services.
The move reflects a broader trend of global tech giants racing to secure Africa’s digital future.
Microsoft, for instance, is building a $1 billion geothermal-powered data centre in Kenya and has earmarked another $300 million to expand artificial intelligence capacity in South Africa.
“For us, it is how do we make sure that we are investing in Africa to make sure that the AI opportunity is realised,” Okosi said, highlighting Google’s ambition to align its infrastructure growth with Africa’s rapidly expanding youth population and rising demand for AI-driven services.
Image Credit: CIO Africa
