Google has announced a fresh round of investments to strengthen Africa’s digital ecosystem, including $9 million in funding for universities and research institutions over the next year. This comes on top of the $17 million already allocated for local capacity building and is part of Google’s broader $1 billion Africa investment plan unveiled in 2022.
Key initiatives include the rollout of a new subsea cable connectivity hub in South Africa, one of four across the continent, designed to boost internet infrastructure and resilience. Additionally, Google will provide free one-year AI Pro subscriptions for college students in eight countries — Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. The package includes access to advanced AI tools like Deep Research and Gemini 2.5 Pro to support education and innovation.
Alex Okosi, Google’s managing director for Africa, highlighted the continent’s growing digital potential, stressing that investments in AI education, infrastructure, and advanced tools are central to empowering Africa’s next generation of innovators.
“Today’s announcements are a unified investment into the upward trajectory of the continent,” Okosi said, adding that Google is committed to equipping Africa’s youth with the skills and resources needed to build a thriving digital economy.
