Google launches first African cloud region in Johannesburg

February 1, 2024
Posted by: Evans Asare

Tech giant Google has launched its first Africa cloud region in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The service is now available for customer use. This means any business on the continent can now access high-performance, secure, and low-latency cloud services.

Niral Patel, Google Cloud Africa Director, stated that, like the other 39 Google Cloud regions, the one in Johannesburg is connected to Google’s secure network. This consists of high-capacity fibre optic cable systems underground and at sea globally.

Google also stated it will host an event in Johannesburg later this year to formally launch the cloud in the region.

It will also offer a first-hand display of its transformative potential for African businesses. Google had announced its plans to launch its first African cloud in South Africa in 2022.

The tech giant now joins Oracle, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to have cloud regions in South Africa. These are specific geographical areas where cloud providers operate data centres. These let businesses utilise the cloud resources to give access to services like key management systems, cloud storage, and compute engines.

What is Google saying?

Google stated that its new cloud region in Johannesburg will focus on contributing towards bolstering the African tech ecosystem. It will provide businesses in the region with the necessary resources to innovate, scale, and compete in the global marketplace.

It also stated it will be partnering with various organization’s in the region to help them enjoy the benefits of complete digitization. Google currently has 40 cloud regions, including the new one in Johannesburg. In 2022, Google also announced that it would build dedicated cloud interconnect sites in Lagos, Nigeria, Kenya, Nairobi, Johannesburg and Cape Town. These will connect users on-premises network to the Google grid.

The goal is to provide full-fledged cloud capabilities to its users and partners across the continent. The system also includes the newly completed Equiano subsea cable system that connects Portugal with Nigeria, Namibia, South Africa, Togo, and St Helena.

The infrastructure and services are to provide businesses with enablement and training on the latest of technologies and sustainable business practices.