Google has announced a total of $37 million in funding and the launch of a new AI Community Center in Accra, Ghana, as part of its broader commitment to advance artificial intelligence in Africa.
This figure includes previously pledged but undisclosed funding aimed at supporting research, talent development, and infrastructure growth across the continent.
A major part of the funding is dedicated to the AI Collaborative for Food Security, a joint initiative backed by $25 million from Google.org.
The program will unite researchers and nonprofit organizations to create AI-powered tools for early hunger forecasting, improved crop resilience, and personalized support for smallholder farmers.
The goal is to strengthen food systems in Africa, making them more adaptive and resilient in the face of climate and economic challenges.
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Google is also directing $3 million to the Masakhane Research Foundation.
This open research collective is focused on developing AI tools that support over 40 African languages.
The funding will help expand high-quality datasets, machine translation models, and speech tools that make digital content more accessible in native languages for millions across the continent.
In an effort to boost AI-driven innovation, Google is introducing a new funding platform to support startups using AI to solve real-world problems.
This initiative will combine philanthropic funding, venture investment, and Google’s technical know-how to help over 100 early-stage startups grow solutions in sectors like agriculture, education, and healthcare.
These startups will receive access to mentorship, technical tools, and guidance to ensure responsible development.
As AI talent expands across Africa, the need for supporting infrastructure becomes more urgent.
To address this, Google is launching the AI Community Center in Accra. It will be a first-of-its-kind space dedicated to AI learning, experimentation, and collaboration on the continent.
The Center will host workshops, events, and training programs centered on responsible AI development, spanning topics such as AI literacy, community tech, social impact, and arts and culture.
The facility aims to serve developers, students, and creators, allowing them to engage with AI in ways that reflect African priorities and realities.
To expand digital and AI-related skills, Google is offering 100,000 fully funded Google Career Certificate scholarships to university students across Ghana.
These self-paced programs will include training in AI Essentials, Prompting Essentials, and high-growth areas like IT Support, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity, equipping learners with practical skills to thrive in the digital economy.
Google.org is also allocating $7 million to AI education efforts in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana.
This funding will support academic institutions and nonprofit organizations working to develop localized AI curriculum, as well as training in online safety and cybersecurity.
Two new $1 million grants have also been announced to strengthen AI research capacity in Africa.
One grant goes to the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI) at the University of Pretoria to support applied research and training.
The other will fund the Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute in South Africa, supporting MSc and PhD students working on foundational AI research to help shape Africa’s global AI presence.
Speaking on the announcement, James Manyika, Senior Vice President for Research, Labs, and Technology & Society at Google, said, “Africa is home to some of the most important and inspiring work in AI today.
We are committed to supporting the next wave of innovation through long-term investment, local partnerships, and platforms that help researchers and entrepreneurs build solutions that matter.”
Yossi Matias, Vice President of Engineering and Research at Google, added, “This new wave of support reflects our belief in the talent, creativity, and ingenuity across the continent.
By building with local communities and institutions, we’re supporting solutions that are rooted in Africa’s realities and built for global impact.”
These new efforts build on Google’s previous work across Africa, including AI-powered maternal health dashboards in Ghana and Nigeria, wildfire alert systems in East Africa, and the development of regional language models by teams in Accra and Nairobi.
They are part of Google’s ongoing strategy to invest in shared infrastructure, open research, and inclusive AI innovation that serves the needs of all people.
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