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Image: RON AI
Google is doubling down on Africa’s AI potential with a sweeping $37 million investment aimed at supercharging research, talent, and infrastructure across the continent.
The package, which includes previously unannounced funding is a strategic move to position Africa as a global player in AI development. It spans language preservation, food security, digital skills, and startup acceleration, marking one of the most ambitious AI commitments to the region to date.
At the heart of the investment is the AI Collaborative for Food Security, a $25 million initiative from Google.org. It brings together researchers and nonprofits to build AI tools for early hunger detection, crop resilience, and personalised farming guidance.
The aim? Make Africa’s food systems smarter, more adaptive, and better equipped to handle climate shocks.
Google is also backing language equity with a $3 million grant to the Masakhane Research Foundation, a pan-African collective advancing AI in over 40 local languages.
The funding will accelerate the creation of open-source datasets, translation models, and speech tools, making digital content more accessible to millions.
To fuel innovation at the edge, Google is rolling out a new funding platform for AI-first startups solving real-world problems.
The initiative will blend philanthropy, venture backing, and technical mentorship to help more than 100 early-stage companies scale solutions across sectors like agriculture, health, and education.
Recognising that talent needs infrastructure, Google is launching an AI Community Center in Accra, the first of its kind in Africa. The space will host workshops, training, and community events centered on responsible AI, spanning areas from digital literacy to social impact and the arts.
To meet growing demand for AI fluency, Google is distributing 100,000 Career Certificate scholarships across Ghana, offering training in high-growth fields like AI, data analytics, and cybersecurity.
An additional $7 million from Google.org will fund AI education in Nigeria, Kenya, SA, and Ghana, supporting universities and nonprofits developing localised curricula and online safety programs.
Two $1 million research grants will also support AI institutions at the University of Pretoria and Wits University, enabling more African MSc and PhD students to shape the continent’s voice in global AI development.
“Africa is home to some of the most important and inspiring work in AI today,” said James Manyika, SVP at Google.
“We’re investing in the next wave of innovation through long-term support, local partnerships, and platforms that matter.”
“This is about building with African communities — not just for them,” added Yossi Matias, Google’s VP of Engineering & Research.
“We believe solutions built in Africa can drive global impact.”
These moves extend Google’s growing AI footprint in Africa, following previous work on maternal health in Nigeria and Ghana, wildfire alerts in East Africa, and language models trained in Accra and Nairobi.
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