Google has officially confirmed its intent to establish a new Google Cloud region in South Africa.
The cloud data centre infrastructure is the first in the African continent to be deployed by the company’s Google Cloud division, and will join 35 other cloud regions around the world.
The Tech Giant also announced it would build cloud interconnect sites, linked to its new Equiano subsea broadband cable, in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos and Nairobi. These interconnect sites are supposed to provide access to the company’s data centre infrastructure in South Africa.
“The new cloud region will help users, developers, businesses and educational institutions across Africa to move more information and tools online, improve access options for customers and, in turn, create jobs,” Google said at the second Google for Africa event which held today.
“According to research by AlphaBeta Economics commissioned by Google Cloud, the South Africa cloud region will contribute more than a cumulative US$2.1-billion (R37-billion) to the country’s GDP, and will support the creation of more than 40 000 jobs by 2030.”
Google’s plan comes after rivals Amazon Web Services and Microsoft both built cloud “regions” in South Africa. Amazon has a data centre campus in Cape Town, while Microsoft operates facilities in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Enterprise software giant Oracle has also invested in building cloud infrastructure in the country.
Google didn’t mention the particular location of the South African data centre infrastructure. It didn’t also say when the region will be available commercially.
Globally, Google Cloud is the third largest provider of hyperscale cloud services, behind first-placed Amazon Web Services and second-placed Microsoft.
