Google, today launched the subsea fibre optic cable, Umoja, aimed at boosting digital connectivity across Africa and facilitating economic growth on the continent.
Umoja, which translates to “unity” in Swahili, will be the very first undersea cable to directly connect Africa with Australia, establishing a new route for data transmission.
This additional route will enhance network resilience for Africa, a region historically vulnerable to outages caused by disruptions to existing subsea cables.
The cable’s journey will begin in Kenya, crossing several African nations, including Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, before getting to South Africa.
This land-based segment is already complete, built in collaboration with Liquid Intelligent Technologies. The next phase involves laying the cable across the Indian Ocean and connecting it to Perth, Australia.
“Umoja will enable African countries to connect more reliably with each other and the rest of the world,” said Brian Quigley, Google Cloud’s Vice President for Global Network Infrastructure.
This new and distinct route strengthens Africa’s digital infrastructure and safeguards against future network disruptions.
The tech giant’s investment in Umoja aligns with its pledge of $1 billion dedicated to supporting various digital initiatives across Africa over a five-year period.
On the economic benefits of Umoja, estimates reveal that Google’s products and services already generate over $30 billion in economic activity across Sub-Saharan Africa. With a solid digital infrastructure, this figure is set to climb even higher, potentially reaching $180 billion by 2025 as Africa’s internet economy flourishes.
Umoja is just one facet of Google’s multifaceted approach to enhancing Africa’s digital industry. Its initiatives also cultivate digital skills, support local entrepreneurs, and bolster innovation through AI research centres.
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