The African Development Bank (AfDB) and Google have officially announced their partnership to drive digital transformation in Africa. The two organizations signed a Letter of Intent at the Global Africa Business Initiative during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
This collaboration reflects a mutual dedication to leveraging emerging technologies, enhancing infrastructure, and fostering talent and skills development on the continent.
Both the AfDB and Google have been actively involved in promoting digital advancement. The AfDB has invested $1.9 billion over the past decade in projects that prioritize the expansion of broadband infrastructure, the establishment of favorable policy and regulatory environments, the cultivation of digital skills, and the support of innovative technology startups.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank, expressed his enthusiasm for progress, citing the growth from a mere 2% telephony penetration in 1998 to the current era of 4G, 5G, and artificial intelligence (AI). With a young population, as 70% of sub-Saharan Africans are under 30, the focus is on stimulating businesses to create employment opportunities and offer innovative solutions.
Google has long been a partner in Africa’s economic growth and digital transformation, having invested in the Seacom cable, a major submarine telecommunications cable, in 2005. Since then, Google has actively supported talent development, innovation, infrastructure, and regulatory advancements across the continent.
Through this partnership, Google and the AfDB will provide technical assistance to assist entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises in digitalizing their businesses. This support will include securing financing, mastering digital marketing, and advancing private sector development.
Dr. James Manyika, Google’s Senior Vice President of Research, Technology & Society, emphasized the potential for profound transformation with advanced technologies like AI. He highlighted the importance of collaboration and working together with the African Development Bank to ensure that this opportunity benefits everyone and leaves no one behind.
About Google:
Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. With products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome, and YouTube, Google plays a fundamental role in billions of people’s daily lives and has become one of the most well-known companies globally. Google operates as a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.
For more information, please contact:
African Development Bank: Amba Mpoke-Bigg, Communication and External Relations Department, email: [email protected]
Google: Pren-Tsilya Boa-Guehe, Government Affairs & Public Policy Manager, African Institutions, email: [email protected]
