$1bn: Google Builds Cloud Interconnect Sites In Lagos, 3 Others

Google has started expanding its network through the Equiano subsea cable and is building Dedicated Cloud Interconnect sites in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos and Nairobi as part of its full-scale cloud capability for Africa.”

The Equiano subsea cable, now running through Togo, Nigeria, Namibia and South Africa, is expected to deliver faster, lower cost internet to the continent by connecting St. Helena, Togo, Nigeria, Namibia and South Africa with Europe.

The director of Google Cloud Africa, Niral Patel, disclosed this at the second Google for Africa event, yesterday while announcing Google’s intent to establish a new Google Cloud region in South Africa – its first on the continent.

This is the latest example of how Google is delivering on the $1billion investment commitment made last year by the company’s CEO, Sundar Pichai. The new Cloud Region will help users, developers, businesses and educational institutions across Africa to move more information and tools online, improve access options for customers and in turn, create jobs.

According to research by AlphaBeta Economics commissioned by Google Cloud, the South Africa cloud region will contribute more than a cumulative $2.1 billion   to the country’s GDP, and will support the creation of more than 40,000 jobs by 2030.

Niral said: “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. 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,” he added.