Google is doubling down on Africa’s digital future, announcing that university students in Nigeria and seven other countries will receive free one-year subscriptions to its premium AI Pro plan. The initiative, which the company says is aimed at preparing the continent’s youth for an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, will roll out first in Nigeria before extending to Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.

It targets students aged 18 and above enrolled in higher education institutions, offering them advanced tools such as Deep Research, which compiles research reports from hundreds of sources, and Gemini 2.5 Pro, designed to assist with academic writing and assignments.

Alex Okosi, Google’s Managing Director for Africa, said the announcement reflects the company’s long-term vision for the continent. “Africa’s digital economy holds immense potential, and it will be driven by the talent and ingenuity of its next generation.

Today’s announcements, spanning AI education, advanced tools for students, and expanded connectivity, are a unified investment into the upward trajectory of the continent,” he noted.

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The AI Pro programme is the latest in a string of initiatives tied to Google’s $1 billion Africa commitment made in 2021. Since then, the company says it has trained more than seven million people in digital skills, supported 153 startups that have collectively raised over $300 million, and expanded internet access to more than 100 million people.

In July, it unveiled a $37 million plan to support AI research, infrastructure, and talent development across Africa. Over the past four years, $17 million has also been channelled into universities and research institutions through funding, curriculum support, training, and access to AI models, with another $9 million expected in the coming year.

Alongside the education initiative, Google also announced plans to strengthen Africa’s digital backbone through the establishment of four new subsea cable hubs across the north, south, east, and west of the continent.

The hubs, designed to improve connectivity and create new digital corridors, will complement the company’s Africa Connect programme, which already includes the Equiano subsea cable along Africa’s western coast and the Umoja fibre route linking Kenya to Australia. Google estimates that the Equiano cable alone will add $11.1 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2025, alongside $5.8 billion in South Africa and $290 million in Namibia.

For Google, these moves are about more than corporate goodwill. By offering AI tools directly to students and investing heavily in infrastructure, the company is positioning itself at the centre of Africa’s fast-emerging tech ecosystem.

With internet penetration rising and a youthful population eager to embrace digital opportunities, Google’s bet is that Africa’s next generation will be both the drivers and beneficiaries of the continent’s AI-powered future.

Meiza Nigeria