Google’s Africa development centre recruiting

from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – GOOGLE’S first product development centre in Africa, to be located in Kenya, is anticipated to create transformative products and services for the continent and people around the world.

It is hiring engineers, product managers, user experience designers and researchers to lay the foundation for significant growth.

“Google’s mission in Africa is to make the internet helpful to Africans and partner with African governments, policymakers, educators, entrepreneurs and business to shape the next wave of innovation in Africa,” said Vice President Products, Suzanne Frey.

“Today I am excited to welcome all Africans passionate about improving the digital experience of African users by building better products to apply for the open roles at our first product development centre in Africa.”

Last October at a Google for Africa event, the CEO, Sundar Pichai, announced a plan to invest US$1 billion over the next five years to support Africa’s digital transformation.

This investment focuses on enabling fast, affordable internet access for more Africans, building helpful products, supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses and helping nonprofits to improve lives across Africa.

In 2018 Google also opened an artificial intelligence (AI) research centre in Accra, Ghana to help drive useful innovations.

Nitin Gajria, Managing Director for Google in Africa noted there are 300 million internet users in the continent, most of them young.

By 2030, it is forecast Africa will have 800 million internet users and a third of the world’s under-35 population.

“The potential for Africa to become a leading digital economy is right on the horizon,” Gajria said.

“Google is committed to accelerating Africa’s digital transformation through human capital and enabling ‘African-led solutions to African and global problems’ through better products.”

The development centre will be located in Nairobi.

– CAJ News