Google Opens First Cloud Region In Africa

Google has announced the opening of its first cloud region in Johannesburg, South Africa targeting businesses across the continent.

Niral Patel, Director, Google Cloud, Africa, in a statement, said the cloud region is ready for customer use. “Today, we’re announcing the Johannesburg cloud region in South Africa is ready for customer use. Businesses of all sizes across the continent now have access to high-performance, secure, and low-latency cloud services. We will host a launch event in Johannesburg later this year to celebrate the opening of the cloud region and showcase the transformative potential it holds for businesses across the continent.”

The Google Cloud region in Johannesburg is expected to accelerate the African tech ecosystem, providing organizations with the resources they need to scale, innovate, and compete in the global marketplace.

Additionally, it will help bring down the costs associated with cloud charges by reducing the expenses of data storage thus making the service accessible to more businesses.

With the addition of the Johannesburg region, Google Cloud network now totals 40 cloud regions and 121 zones, which together its services to over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Africa’s internet economy is estimated to reach $180 billion by 2025, accounting for 5.2 per cent of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP). The growing digital market has attracted investments from global tech players like Oracle, AWS, and Microsoft among other to grow talent to support customers, train talent, and scout new businesses.