Google Cloud on July 1, 2026 hosted its inaugural Cloud Summit in Africa in Johannesburg, announcing a package of infrastructure, AI research and digital skilling initiatives that it said are aimed at strengthening the continent’s readiness for wider AI adoption.

The event, held at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa, drew about 3,000 business leaders, developers, public sector leaders and partners, according to the company. Google Cloud positioned the announcements as part of its “Building for Africa” mission and said the initiatives build on the 2025 launch of its Johannesburg Cloud Region.

Among the announcements was a new “Digital Exchange Port” connectivity hub to be built in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Google said the facility will serve as an international switching point intended to improve African internet connectivity by linking the continent to Australia via the Umoja subsea cable and through a new subsea route to India. The company said it is the first of four connectivity hubs it has committed to deliver on the continent.

Google also said it will launch an applied AI lab in Ghana under the Google AI Futures Fund, working with Google Research and venture capital partners. The “Google Africa Applied AI Lab” will be based at the Accra AI Community Centre and will pair African founders with Google researchers, including access to AI models, to work on “real-world, uniquely African challenges,” the company said. Applications are open and will close on August 31, 2026, according to the statement.

In addition, Google said it has partnered with The Akuna Group on a creative AI education programme backed by more than $1 million (about KES 129 million) in Google.org funding, aimed at delivering AI creative education and digital tools for creators. In South Africa, Google’s Economic and Community Development programme and WeThinkCode said they will build a R3 million digital innovation centre at the George Tabor Campus of South West Gauteng TVET College in Soweto (about KES 21 million), intended to provide skills training at scale.

Google said it will also open applications on July 21, 2026 for the 2026 South African cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator, selecting 15 local startups for an AI-focused curriculum, mentorship and non-dilutive funding. The company said this forms part of its pledge to back 50 African ventures between 2024 and 2028.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa opened the summit, saying the event underscored Africa’s place in the global cloud industry. “Today’s Google Cloud Summit affirms Africa’s position as a core growth region for the global cloud ecosystem,” Ramaphosa said in remarks included in the release.

James Manyika, Google’s Senior Vice President for Research, Labs, Technology & Society, said the company is focusing its new investments on infrastructure, innovation and skills. “Building on our past commitments, we’re making new investments in critical areas: infrastructure, African-led innovation, and education and skill building,” Manyika said.

Maureen Costello, Vice President for UK, Ireland, and Sub Saharan Africa at Google Cloud, linked the company’s push to the Johannesburg Cloud Region’s projected economic impact. Costello said the region is estimated to contribute $90.6 billion (ZAR 1.7 trillion) in additional gross economic output and support 314,900 jobs by 2030—figures Google attributed to its own estimates. The $90.6 billion projection is equivalent to about KES 11.7 trillion.

For Kenya and the wider East African market, the announcements are likely to be closely watched by enterprises and startups seeking lower-latency cloud services, stronger international connectivity, and structured support to develop AI products. While the connectivity hub and innovation centre are located in South Africa and the applied AI lab is based in Ghana, Google said the lab will support founders from across the continent, which could provide a pathway for Kenyan startups to access research collaboration and tooling.

Next milestones flagged by Google include the July 21 opening of applications for the South Africa startup accelerator cohort and the August 31 deadline for applications to the applied AI lab in Ghana. The company did not disclose timelines for completion of the Eastern Cape connectivity hub or the Soweto digital innovation centre.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), supported by the Government of the Netherlands under the PROSPECTS Partnership, has launched a digital skills and employment programme in Kenya with Power Learn Project Africa, Microsoft and the Turkana County Government, targeting refugee and host community youth in Turkana and Garissa counties.

The programme was launched on 1 July 2026 in Kakuma, Turkana County, according to a joint press release by the partners. It aims to equip participants with digital skills, professional certifications and transition support into employment, entrepreneurship and remote work opportunities.

Under a 25-week blended learning model, the initiative will reach 1,700 learners across Turkana and Garissa. Training will be delivered by Power Learn Project in partnership with local digital hubs, community-based organisations, refugee-led organisations and local implementation partners, the statement said. The programme will also provide up to 1,000 Microsoft certification vouchers to enable participants to earn globally recognised credentials.

The launch comes as stakeholders push to broaden access to digital skills beyond major urban centres, amid rising demand for job-ready talent in technology and digitally enabled roles. The press release cited projections that Kenya’s digital economy will contribute KES 662.3 billion (US$5.1 billion) to GDP by 2028, while noting that skills mismatches remain a barrier to inclusive growth.

In the statement, the partners also linked the programme to wider labour market challenges. “Each year, more than one million young people enter the labour market with the potential to fill these gaps,” the press release said, adding that without formal skills, participation in the digital economy is limited and that “more than two thirds of Kenyan youth remain unemployed.” The release did not cite a specific source for the unemployment estimate.

Caroline Khamati Mugalla, Director, ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, said digital transformation is changing labour markets rapidly and could deepen exclusion in refugee-hosting communities if access to skills is not expanded. “The ILO is committed to ensuring that technological change advances decent work, rights at work, and inclusive labour market participation,” Mugalla said. She added that investing in “market-relevant, internationally recognised digital skills for these communities is a sound labour market investment.”

The curriculum is structured in two tracks, according to the press release. An intermediate track focuses on foundational digital and workplace skills, while an advanced track supports specialisation in areas including cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data analytics aligned to Microsoft certification pathways.

Winnie Karanu, AI Skills Director, Microsoft Elevate, said the partnership is intended to link training to recognised credentials and employment outcomes. “Digital skills are the foundation for inclusive growth, but access remains uneven, particularly in underserved communities,” Karanu said, adding that the initiative aims to connect learners “not just to training, but to globally recognised certification and real pathways into employment.”

Mumbi Ndung’u, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Power Learn Project Africa, said the programme is designed to extend access to digital opportunity for refugee and host community youth. “This partnership speaks directly to our mission,” Ndung’u said, adding that it is aimed at ensuring Kenya’s digital transformation is “inclusive by design.”

Beyond training, the partners said employment transition is a core outcome. Graduates will receive career readiness support and linkages to employers and other opportunities facilitated by Power Learn Project and its partners, according to the statement.

For Kenya’s business landscape, the initiative underscores growing interest in county-based digital talent pipelines, particularly in regions that have limited access to training infrastructure. If implemented at scale, such programmes could support local innovation ecosystems, expand the pool of entry-level digital workers and improve employability for communities around major refugee settlements.

The partners did not disclose the programme budget or timelines for certification issuance and placement outcomes. They said implementation will be delivered through a network of local hubs and organisations, with training and transition support continuing through the programme cycle.

Safaricom Plc, through its youth platform Safaricom Hook, has partnered with The Coca-Cola Company’s Sprite brand to host a Hook’d on Fresh Masterclass Series session at the University of Eldoret, with the companies saying the programme trained more than 300 youths on content creation, monetisation and financial literacy.

In a press release dated March 20, 2026, Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) said the Eldoret session followed an earlier stop at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) last week, which it said marked the first event in the series. The company said the university tour is intended to build digital skills among young Kenyans and expose students to opportunities in the technology and digital economy.

The Eldoret training featured what Safaricom described as industry mentors, including musician Collo Blue and dance creator Tileh Pacbro, who the company said shared practical insights with participants.

Student participants linked the training to broader use of digital platforms in academics. “I am happy that Safaricom and Sprite have brought this masterclass to our University today. I have learned that in addition to entertainment, platforms, like Safaricom Hook are also useful in studies and research, because of the affordable Internet bundles,” said Norman Kipkurgat, a second-year student at University of Eldoret, according to the statement.

Safaricom said the programme also included messaging on savings and financial habits. “The Hook’d on Fresh campaign is a digital influencer hosted creator program designed to equip Kenyan creators with the skills, tools and inspiration they need to thrive in the digital content economy. Today, we've also have been speaking to the youth about the importance of adopting a saving culture early, educating them on the diverse opportunities in tech and digital space,” said Fawzia Ali, Chief Consumer Business Officer, Safaricom.

Beyond the campus sessions, the companies have launched a Hook’d on Fresh user-generated content (UGC) challenge that Safaricom said will run nationwide and be hosted on TikTok and Instagram. The statement said participants will post short-form videos across music, sports, fashion and comedy using the hashtags #Hook’donfresh and #SafaricomHook, while tagging Sprite Kenya and the Safaricom Hook page.

Safaricom said the competition will use a tiered rewards system, with 403 digital creators expected to win across nine levels. Cash prizes range from KES 3,000 to KES 20,000, alongside non-cash rewards including smartphones and data bundles, with monthly winner selection, according to the press release.

The initiative lands as Kenyan telcos and consumer brands increasingly use creator-led training and competitions to capture youth attention and drive usage of digital platforms, including content and fintech services. Safaricom’s focus on financial literacy and savings tools alongside creator training reflects a broader market push to deepen engagement among younger customers as digital income opportunities and mobile-first financial services expand.

Safaricom said the Hook’d on Fresh Masterclass Series will continue touring universities across the country, and that the sessions will include exposure to products such as Ziidi Invest and Save. The company did not provide a full tour schedule or the total budget for the programme, but indicated the UGC challenge will award prizes monthly as the campus activations continue.