Google to launch its first African Cloud region in South Africa

At the second Google for Africa event today, October 5, 2022, Google announced plans to launch its first African Cloud region in South Africa. The new Cloud Region will assist users, developers, enterprises, and educational institutions move more data and tools online, enhance customer access options, and create employment throughout Africa.Besides, the Google keyboard, Gboard, now supports voice typing in nine additional African languages: isiNdebele, isiXhosa, Kinyarwanda, Northern Sotho, Swati, Sesotho, Tswana, Tshivenda, and Xitsonga. Google Translate also supports 24 more languages.

South Africa now joins Google’s global network of 35 cloud regions and 106 zones.

Users can access several services, including cloud storage, computing engines, and key management systems, from specific geographic locations using Google Cloud regions.

Google claims that African customers are already using its Cloud to address their most pressing business problems and take advantage of modern technology.

For example, Takealot built its eCommerce platform on Google Cloud, which helps the company avoid system outages during busy times like Black Friday while giving local customers a “hassle-free” online shopping experience.

In Kenya, Google Cloud works with Twiga Foods, a startup that addresses and improves food security.