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Google has announced $9 million (Ksh1.1 billion) in funding for African universities and research institutions over the next year as part of its continued investment in higher education on the continent.
The tech company said the package builds on its four-year commitment of more than $17 million in grants, training, curriculum support, computing resources, and access to advanced AI models.
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In addition, Google rolled out a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan for students aged 18 and above in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
The AI Pro plan, normally costing about Ksh3,700 per month, bundles advanced AI products including Deep Research, Gemini 2.5 Pro, 1,000 monthly AI credits, and 2.5 TB of storage.
So far, Google reports it has trained 7 million Africans in digital skills and aims to reach an additional 3 million students, youth, and educators by 2030.
The company is also expanding its Africa Connect infrastructure with four new subsea cable hubs positioned in northern, southern, eastern, and western Africa to strengthen digital links within the continent and globally.
This adds to existing projects such as the Johannesburg Cloud region, the Equiano cable along Africa’s west coast, and the Umoja fibre optic route traversing Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
“Africa’s digital economy has huge potential, powered by the creativity and skills of its young people,” said Alex Okosi, Google’s Managing Director for Africa. “Our latest initiatives — spanning AI learning, advanced tools, and connectivity — represent a unified investment in the continent’s future.”
