TechAfrica News’ Post

Google has announced Umoja, a new fiber optic cable connecting Africa to Australia, and an expanded cybersecurity partnership with Kenya, furthering its commitment to Africa's digital transformation. Umoja, meaning "unity" in Swahili, is the first fiber optic route linking Africa directly with Australia. Anchored in Kenya, the Umoja cable route will pass through Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, including the Google Cloud region, before crossing the Indian Ocean to Australia. Umoja’s terrestrial path was built in collaboration with Liquid Intelligent Technologies to form a highly scalable route through Africa, including access points that will allow other countries to take advantage of the network. "We are grateful for the partnership from leaders across Africa and Australia to deliver Africa Connect to people, businesses, and governments in Africa and around the world," said Brian Quigley, VP, Global Network Infrastructure, Google Cloud. “Africa’s major cities including Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, and Harare will no longer be hard-to-reach endpoints remote from the coastal landing sites that connect Africa to the world. They are now stations on a data superhighway that can carry thousands of times more traffic than currently reaches here. I am proud that this project helps us deliver a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind, regardless of how far they are from the technology centers of the world.” said Strive Masiyiwa, Chairman and Founder of Liquid. As part of the collaboration, Google Cloud and Kenya are announcing that they intend to work together on strengthening Kenya’s cybersecurity. The Department of Immigration & Citizen Services is evaluating Google Cloud’s CyberShield solution and Mandiant expertise to strengthen the defense of its eCitizen platform. CyberShield enables governments to build enhanced cyberthreat capabilities, protect web-facing infrastructure, and helps teams develop skills and processes that drive effective security operations. Since opening their first Sub-Saharan Africa office in Nairobi in 2007, Google has partnered with African governments on various digital initiatives. In 2021, they pledged $1 billion over five years to enhance connectivity, invest in startups, and drive Africa's digital transformation. They have already invested over $900 million and aim to meet their commitment by 2026. This week's collaboration marks the latest step in supporting Africa's digital growth and innovation. Read the story at https://shorturl.at/VzTIQ

🌍 Exciting News! Google Continues to Invest in Africa’s Digital Future 🌐 Today, Google announced major investments in digital infrastructure and security across Africa. Introducing Umoja, the first-ever fiber optic route directly linking Africa with Australia, anchored in Kenya and traversing multiple African nations. This historic initiative, part of Africa Connect, enhances connectivity, boosts economic growth, and ensures network resilience. We’re also partnering with Kenya’s Ministry of Information to advance cybersecurity, AI, and digital skills. These efforts underscore Google’s commitment to Africa’s digital transformation, economic development, and innovation. 🚀 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eb-nuMMn #Google #DigitalTransformation #AfricaConnect #Cybersecurity #EconomicGrowth

Google ushers in a new era of global Internet connectivity with Africa-Australia fibre link 👉 Google is rolling out Umoja cable, the first-ever fibre optic link directly connecting Africa with Australia, aiming to enhance global digital infrastructure and foster economic growth. 👉 The Umoja project, developed in collaboration with Liquid Technologies, will improve connectivity and drive digital inclusion across Africa. 👉 This initiative is part of Google’s long-term commitment to Africa’s digital transformation, with investments in infrastructure, cybersecurity, and AI innovation to support growth. Learn more 👉 https://cutt.ly/Beyoeo84 #connectivity #google #digitalconnectivity #AI #Cybersecurity

#Google and Liquid Intelligent Technologies East Africa partnership on the #Umojacable is such a game-changer! The result? A richer and more dependable experience for #Cloud and #Cybersecurity services across #Africa. Exciting times ahead as we continue to build a more connected and resilient #digitalfuture for the continent. #DigitalTransformation #Africa #Connectivity #CloudServices #Cybersecurity #Innovation

Google's recent investments in digital infrastructure and security in Africa mark a transformative step towards accelerating economic growth and deepening resilience. The introduction of #Umoja, a pioneering fibre optic route linking Africa directly with Australia, promises to enhance connectivity across the continent, from major urban centres to remote regions. This initiative strengthens Africa's digital backbone and demonstrates Google Cloud's commitment to innovation in the region. In addition to expanding connectivity, #Google's partnerships with African governments and organisations aim to bolster cybersecurity, support digital upskilling, and promote local innovation through AI and digital health initiatives. These efforts are set to empower businesses, governments, and communities across Africa, driving sustainable development and ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation reach every corner of the continent. Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q02GVFTb0. #Deimos #CloudPartner #GoogleCloudPartner

Quite a significant milestone towards a more connected, inclusive and prosperous Africa with varied benefits across various sectors of society.

South Africa's National Data and Cloud Policy Launched on 31 May 2024 The South African government’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has just published its National Policy on Data and Cloud (the Data and Cloud Policy). This policy is impressive: well-drafted, concise, and realistic. It directly addresses existing challenges and outlines clear solutions. ⛅ The policy aims to efficiently manage and utilize data through cloud computing technologies, with primary goals to enhance government service delivery and foster socio-economic development. It promotes data-driven decision-making and the creation of data-based tradable goods and services, thereby supporting an emerging digital economy. 💱 Key principles of the Data and Cloud Policy include: ✅ Accelerating the rollout of digital infrastructure to ensure fast, secure, and reliable broadband connectivity. ✅ Ensuring data privacy and security. ✅ Promoting open data and data interoperability. ✅ Adopting a cloud-first approach. The policy highlights the importance of digital and economic inclusion, emphasizing that the digital economy requires strong, reliable, secure, and affordable connectivity to digital infrastructure and devices. It also stresses the need for regulatory certainty and stable energy supply, promoting self-provisioning of energy and water for data centers. Encouragingly, South Africa’s energy stability appears to be improving. Policy interventions include: ✅ Mobilizing funding, technical, and related resources to achieve 100% broadband coverage by 2030. ✅ The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) sourcing data infrastructure and cloud services for government. ✅ Converting all government data into digital format, developing Open Data and Data for Development Frameworks, and enforcing universal service obligations for digital inclusion. ✅ Ensuring all government technologies incorporate cybersecurity-by-design principles and prioritizing the signing and ratification of international treaties supporting cybercrime collaboration and prosecution. ✅ Requiring government data related to national security and sovereignty to be stored within South Africa’s borders. This summary captures just a fraction of what the Data and Cloud Policy entails. It is a sensible and focused approach, and with the commitment of all key stakeholders, it can certainly be implemented effectively. Take some time to read the full policy; I’m sure you will agree. ✅✅✅ At EMORA Group, we are ready to assist companies in implementing this policy efficiently and effectively. Contact us to find out how we can support your organization. 🌐 #Cloud #UniversalAccess #Broadband #DataSovereignty #Privacy

Driving Digital Transformation: A Closer Look at Kenya's Cloud Policy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kenya's Cloud Policy 2024 outlines an ambitious roadmap for cloud adoption to accelerate digital transformation, enhance service delivery, and foster innovation. While the policy is robust, certain gaps and challenges require attention to realize its full potential: 1. Policy Enforcement and Legal Gaps The absence of a legal framework mandating cloud adoption leaves organizations reliant on on-premise solutions, limiting modernization efforts. Existing laws, like the Data Protection Act (2019), need stronger alignment with cross-border data flow policies to enhance global interoperability. 2. Implementation Challenges Limited technical skills and budget constraints hinder smooth transitions from traditional systems to cloud-based solutions. The need for well-defined migration strategies that balance commercial, technical, and cybersecurity considerations remains critical. 3. Data Sovereignty and Localization Addressing data sovereignty, localization, and residency effectively while fostering innovation is a delicate balance yet to be fully achieved. Clearer guidelines are needed to manage cross-border data flows while maintaining compliance with national and international standards. 4. Governance and Accountability The multi-agency approach for governance can lead to overlaps without streamlined coordination, risking inefficiency in implementation and compliance monitoring. 5. International Best Practices Integrating global cloud standards and ensuring interoperability with international systems are opportunities for Kenya to position itself competitively in the global digital economy. Addressing these gaps can significantly enhance Kenya's cloud adoption journey, driving cost efficiency, scalability, and innovation in both the public and private sectors. Collaborative efforts from all stakeholders will be key to success. What are your thoughts on Kenya's cloud adoption challenges and opportunities? Let’s discuss how we can shape a transformative digital future. Mulutu Jackson Felix Yahuma Alex Siboe Wekunda Justus Siboe #DigitalTransformation #CloudComputing #PolicyInnovation #DataSovereignty #CyberSecurity #KenyaVision2030 #CloudAdoption #DataPrivacy #TechGovernance #InnovationAfrica

Excited to present my article titled "Digital Transformation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." This article explores the initiatives and key factors driving the digital transformation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Kenya is emerging as an unexpected contender for digital infrastructure expansion in Africa. Technology giants such as Microsoft and Google are increasingly turning to Kenya to serve the East African market, with over $1 billion in investments announced within the last 48 hours. This influx of investment underscores Kenya’s forward-looking policies and has solidified its position as a premier destination for tech-driven development, propelling the nation toward an era of rapid digital transformation. Government of Kenya Alex Okosi Google Liquid Intelligent Technologies Strive Masiyiwa https://lnkd.in/dhHBPTW8 Follow Africa Hyperscalers Media for exclusive news, analyses, and interviews on the African data center, cloud, and connectivity industry. #Cloud #Google #LiquidTechnologies #Subsea #Umoja #DigitalInfrastructure #Kenya #AfricaHyperscalers