Google has unveiled a Ksh1.1 billion ($9 million) package to support African universities and research institutions over the next year. The move builds on the company’s four-year commitment of more than $17 million in funding, curriculum development, training, computing, and access to advanced artificial intelligence models across the continent.
Alongside the funding, Google also introduced a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan for students aged 18 and above in seven African countries: Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
What does the AI Pro plan offer students?
The Google AI Pro package, which typically costs Ksh3,700 per month, includes Deep Research, the Gemini 2.5 Pro app, 1,000 monthly AI credits, and 2.5 TB of storage. By making this bundle free for students, Google is aiming to give Africa’s youth access to world-class tools that can boost learning, innovation, and research.
How else is Google investing in Africa?
Google says it has already trained 7 million Africans and aims to reach 3 million more students, young professionals, and teachers by 2030. To strengthen digital connectivity, the tech giant is also building four subsea cable hubs across Africa’s north, south, east, and west regions. These hubs are part of Africa Connect, which includes the Johannesburg Cloud region, the Equiano cable along the west coast, and Umoja, a fibre-optic route running through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
“Africa’s digital economy holds immense potential, and it will be driven by the talent and ingenuity of its next generation,” said Alex Okosi, Managing Director for Google in Africa. “Today’s announcements, spanning AI education, advanced tools for students, and expanded connectivity, are a unified investment into the upward trajectory of the continent. We are committed to providing the foundational infrastructure, the cutting-edge tools, and the financial support necessary for Africa’s youth to innovate, lead, and build a thriving digital world.”
With education, infrastructure, and technology now aligning, Google’s initiatives are positioning Africa’s youth at the center of the continent’s digital transformation.
By Yockshard Enyendi