For many global tech companies, investing in Africa is a strategy for growth that is allowing them to tap into a growing market that is full of great potential.
Tech companies from across various sectors are looking to Africa for growth, with the likes of Facebook, Google and Microsoft all putting their money into the continent.
Whether they are investing in infrastructure, skills or the startup ecosystem, these tech companies are boosting economies and creating jobs.
Here are 10 global tech companies that are investing in Africa.
Uber
Uber recently committed itself to the Egyptian market despite economic difficulties in the country, announcing a new support center in the capital that will see an investment of $20 million. The taxi-hailing startup has launched a support center in Cairo, with $20 million set to be spent on the project over the next five years, creating employment for 700 Egyptians as a result.
Microsoft
Earlier this year U.S. software giant Microsoft announced plans to open two new cloud data centers in South Africa, in order to provide Microsoft Cloud services for the African market from centers based on the continent. The company was one of the first U.S. tech giants to begin investing in Africa when it launched its 4Afrika initiative four years ago, with a $75 million budget dedicated to training the youth in Africa.
Opera
In May Norwegian web browser developer Opera Software announced plans to invest $100 million in Africa’s digital economy over the next two years, as the company aims to consolidate its most robust market. The investment is being used to develop artificial intelligence that delivers Africans customized and localized content, while continued efforts will be made to reduce data costs by around 90 percent.
In May this year, Google and three strategic partners committed to investing a combined $100 million in a broadband infrastructure project to benefit African cities, with fast and reliable internet capabilities in the pipeline. Google, Convergence Partners, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Mitsui & Co will invest the significant amount in order to provide local internet service providers (ISPs) with access to a more efficient infrastructure.