Search engine giant, Google Inc. has announced an investment of $1Bn over a five-year period to support digital transformation in Nigeria, South Africa, and other African countries. According to the company, this investment would result in a 21 percent reduction in internet prices, and also a five-fold increase in internet speed in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Managing Director for Google in Africa, Nitin Gajria on Wednesday at the first Google for Africa event, which was held virtually. Gajria said, “Google remains committed to being helpful to every African business, person and classroom. Google is invested in building our global infrastructure to help bring everyone online.
“This includes Equiano, a state-of-the-art subsea cable that will connect Africa with Europe. We are already making tremendous progress on the construction of branches landing in Nigeria, Namibia, St Helena, and South Africa.”
He stated that the subsea cable was named after Olaudah Equiano, a Nigerian-born writer, and abolitionist.
According to him, Equiano would indirectly create 1.7 million jobs between 2022 and 2025 in both Nigeria and South Africa.
