Google has announced the launch of Umoja, an ambitious fibre optic cable project set to directly link the continent with Australia. Derived from the Swahili word for “unity,” Umoja represents a significant stride towards enhancing Africa’s digital infrastructure resilience and fostering economic opportunities through reliable internet access.
Anchored in Kenya, the Umoja cable route will traverse through Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, including the Google Cloud region, before spanning the Indian Ocean to reach Australia. This terrestrial path, meticulously designed in collaboration with Liquid Technologies, forms a highly scalable network with access points that will enable other African nations to tap into this cutting-edge connectivity.
Umoja, together with the previously announced Equiano cable, falls under the broader Africa Connect initiative, a strategic endeavour aimed at empowering African countries to establish more reliable digital connections among themselves and with the rest of the world. By establishing a new route distinct from existing connectivity paths, Google seeks to bolster network resilience for a region that has historically grappled with high-impact outages.
Industry leaders and government officials have lauded this initiative, recognising its potential to drive digital transformation and economic growth across the region. Meg Whitman, the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, hailed the project as a “meaningful moment” for Kenya’s digital journey, emphasising the cascading benefits it will bring to the entire region.
President William Ruto of Kenya echoed similar sentiments, commending Google’s investment in digital connectivity as a “historic milestone” that will significantly enhance the region’s global and regional digital infrastructure. He highlighted the initiative’s crucial role in ensuring redundancy, resilience, and increased digital inclusion, ultimately paving the way for innovation and economic opportunities.
Strive Masiyiwa, the Chairman and founder of Liquid Technologies, underscored the transformative impact of Umoja, stating that major African cities will no longer be “hard-to-reach endpoints remote from the coastal landing sites.” Instead, they will become stations on a “data superhighway” capable of carrying vast amounts of traffic, bridging the digital divide.
Extending beyond the infrastructure announcement, Google has also signed a Statement of Collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Information Communications and The Digital Economy. This collaboration aims to accelerate joint efforts in cybersecurity, data-driven innovation, digital upskilling, and the responsible and safe deployment of AI for societal benefits.
As part of this collaboration, Google Cloud and Kenya are exploring ways to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity posture, with the Department of Immigration & Citizen Services evaluating Google Cloud’s CyberShield solution and Mandiant expertise to fortify the defense of its eCitizen platform.
Google’s long-standing commitment to Africa’s digital transformation is further underscored by its $1 billion investment pledge over five years, supporting various initiatives ranging from improved connectivity to startup investments. To date, Google has invested over $900 million in the region, with expectations to fulfil its commitment by 2026.
