Google is stepping up its commitment to Africa with plans to build four new infrastructure hubs across the continent. The hubs will serve as critical points for its subsea fibre-optic cables, Equiano and Umoja, which are set to land this year.
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 hubs, positioned in the north, south, east, and west, will connect directly to landing stations and data centres to strengthen digital capacity.
The initiative is expected to improve resilience against outages that often affect entire regions when cables are damaged.
Google surpasses $1 billion Africa pledge
Google pledged in 2021 to invest $1 billion in Africa over five years. Bloomberg reports that Okosi confirmed that the company has already gone beyond that commitment, with the latest subsea cable projects funded entirely by Google.
He did not disclose the costs, but described the hubs as new investments on top of earlier commitments.
By anchoring the new cables to multiple hubs across the continent, Google aims to reduce outages that often occur when subsea connections are damaged, while also lowering the high cost of internet services for consumers and businesses.
Improved affordability is a key goal as connectivity remains significantly more expensive in Africa compared to other regions.
Subsea cables Equiano and Umoja to land this year
The Equiano and Umoja cables are scheduled to land in Africa in 2025. The new hubs will integrate these cables with existing networks and help expand capacity for major telecommunications firms including MTN Group Ltd. and Vodacom Group Ltd.
The project is expected to be completed within three years. Once operational, the hubs should make it cheaper for local providers to deliver broadband to millions of customers across multiple regions.
Africa has the fastest-growing and youngest population globally, with surging demand for access to online services and emerging technologies.
The subsea cables are also expected to boost data speeds and improve reliability for business and government networks, a critical factor for sectors like finance, health, and education.
Competition in Africa’s growing AI and data market
Google’s investments are part of a wider race among global tech firms to capture Africa’s digital and AI markets.
Microsoft has committed $1 billion to a geothermal-powered data centre in Kenya, alongside $300 million for AI expansion in South Africa.
Okosi highlighted that Africa holds major potential for artificial intelligence, as connectivity and infrastructure become key enablers.
With demand for data and AI tools growing rapidly, the competition between US-based tech companies is intensifying, as they position themselves to shape Africa’s digital transformation.
Google’s strategy reflects not only its push to strengthen internet access but also to secure long-term footholds in one of the world’s fastest-growing technology markets.
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