Johannesburg – Google South Africa has launched a new R2.5 billion Google Cloud region in Johannesburg.
This infrastructure investment represents a major step forward in business and technology transformation, not just for South Africa but also for the continent.
The establishment of the region will result in Africa having access to the world's best data warehouse platforms.
The project is the first African in Africa, launched on March 16, 2025, and will involve South Africa in a global network of 40 regions and 121 zones worldwide.
These regions provide Google Cloud services to over 200 countries and regions around the world.
“By bringing Google Cloud Services closer to local customers, they can innovate and deliver faster, more reliable experiences to their customers, safely.
“This will also contribute a cumulative US$2.1 billion to South Africa's gross domestic product, supporting the creation of more than 40,000 jobs by 2030,” commented Ferdinand Steenkamp, co-founder of Tregter, a local data company based in Cape Town.
“Africa's internet economy is estimated to reach $180 billion by 2025, so this sector accounts for 5.2% of the continent's GDP,” Steenkamp said.
“Google South Africa's safe, high-performance, low-degradation cloud service will put South Africa at the forefront of this technological revolution on the continent.”
This important investment also marks a key step towards fulfilling Google's commitment to investing $1 billion to drive digital transformation in Africa.
This is an important contribution to the infrastructure needed to nurture the continent's technological talent and strengthen the startup ecosystem that generates its own national technology leaders in Africa.
In addition to investing in infrastructure, Google South Africa also hosts training for learners and business owners with programs such as Cloud Onboard.
Cloud Hero and Google Hustle Academy cover technology topics such as Generation AI (GEN AI), Machine Learning (ML), Applications and Infrastructure Modernization, Data and Analytics, and Digital Marketing.
The launch of Google Cloud will bolster the numerous programs Google operates at startups in Africa. It supports 106 startups in 17 African countries, including BlackFoundersFund Africa and Google for Startups Accelerator Africa.
“Google South Africa will be inevitable in creating a more level playing field for African tech entrepreneurs, providing launchpads for broader efforts to bring greater benefits to businesses across the technology sector and drive growth in the African tech sector,” Steenkamp said.
