Marking a decisive commitment to Africa’s rising AI ecosystem, Google has pledged $37 million to fuel artificial intelligence development across the continent. Announced in Accra, Ghana, the funding—comprising both new and previously undisclosed contributions—will support research hubs, language inclusion, startup growth, and AI skills training.
At the centre of this initiative is the newly opened AI Community Center in Accra, envisioned as a vibrant hub for experimentation, learning, and collaboration. The centre will unite researchers, developers, creatives, and civil society to explore how AI can solve Africa’s most urgent challenges—from food insecurity to healthcare gaps and linguistic representation.
A flagship $25 million commitment from Google.org will fund the AI Collaborative: Food Security, empowering African researchers and nonprofits to use AI for hunger forecasting, crop resilience, and real-time farmer insights. Meanwhile, $3 million will go to the Masakhane African Languages AI Hub to develop translation tools and datasets for over 40 African languages—an effort to digitally preserve and elevate Africa’s rich linguistic diversity.
To build long-term academic capacity, Google will award $1 million each to the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria and the Wits MIND Institute. These grants will support graduate and postdoctoral AI researchers, helping to root AI expertise more firmly on the continent.
Beyond research, Google is prioritizing skills development. With a $7 million allocation, the company will scale up AI literacy and online safety training in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa through academic and nonprofit partnerships. Additionally, 100,000 fully funded Google Career Certificate scholarships will be offered in Ghana, covering AI and tech-related programs like Prompting Essentials, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity.
Africa’s AI startup scene is also receiving a boost. Google announced the launch of a catalytic fund designed to support over 100 AI-driven startups. This initiative will combine philanthropic grants, venture capital, and technical support, helping founders scale innovations in sectors like health, agriculture, and education.
This $37 million commitment is more than just a funding announcement—it’s a recognition of Africa’s pivotal role in shaping the future of responsible, inclusive AI. As Google stated at the event, “When communities have the tools and resources they need, they create technologies that can transform the world.”
Africa’s AI future isn’t a distant prospect — it’s already being built, and Google is placing a firm bet on its success.
