• The Johannesburg Google Cloud Region is now open, according to an announcement from the tech giant.
• Businesses across Africa can leverage Google’s cloud services to support the storage of vast swathes of data and more.
• An official launch event will take place in Johannesburg later this year.

After being chosen in October 2022 as the first African nation to receive an area where Google will operate its data centres, the tech giant has now announced that its cloud region in Johannesburg, South Africa is open for business.

The announcement was issued on Wednesday with the African director for Google Cloud, Niral Patel, detailing the impact of the cloud region on local businesses, and revealing that the company is planning to host a launch event later this year.

Despite its location in Johannesburg – which is the largest data centre market in the Southern Hemisphere by sheer number of hyperscalers and electricity usage – the Google Cloud Region is set to provide services to businesses across the African continent.

“The Google Cloud region in Johannesburg will accelerate the African tech ecosystem, providing organizations with the resources they need to scale, innovate, and compete in the global marketplace. We are excited to partner with organizations across the continent and help them discover the advantages of digital transformation,” writes Patel.

Google now manages a network of 40 cloud regions, which deliver Google Cloud services to over 200 countries, or so the company claims. The Johannesburg region is connected to Google’s system of high-capacity fibre optic cables both on land and sea around the world.

This of course includes the partly Google-funded Equiano subsea cable system that connects Europe to Africa.

Customers of the cloud region, usually businesses, will be able to access Google’s data centres. They gain access to services like cloud storage, compute engines which are necessary to run data-intensive generative AI processes, and other systems.

MTN Group, for example, is using Google’s cloud resources to power a data analytics platform – called ADAM.

“African countries are poised to transform their economies and quality of life with technology, and Google Cloud is ready to provide the infrastructure to support their rise to become global commercial and technology leaders,” Patel adds.

From FNB to Pepkor, some of South Africa’s largest businesses have reacted positively to the system’s launch. They also happen to be partners of Google and are leveraging Google Cloud.

“The collaboration we have in place with Google Cloud is more than a technological alliance; the opening of the cloud region in Johannesburg will level this up to become a catalyst for sustainable, data-driven growth and a brighter future for Africa,” shared Mohanoe Mokhitli, GM, Data & Analytics Centre of Excellence, MTN.

“We believe that the new cloud region supports the continent’s digital transformation efforts and enables institutions such as ours to accelerate the delivery of digitized financial and lifestyle solutions. Similarly, this initiative could serve as a catalyst for local talent development, creating opportunities for skills development and employment throughout the region,” enthused Faye Mfikwe, marketing chief at FNB.