Google Setting Up a Presence In Kenya

Reader wana forwards the news that Google is establishing a base in Sub-Saharan Africa. What advanced infrastructure exists on the African continent is mostly in South Africa, and a blogger from there speculates on what Google might have been thinking in choosing Kenya over SA.

Comments

Re:Only in Kenya

[bladesjester]

You beat me to it. That video was the first thing that I thought of when I saw the headline =]

All your Sub-Saharan Countries Are Belong To Us

[ZachReligious]

Google is simply moving into a country that is on the technology curve, but behind enough that they can have MAJOR influence over new policy. Imagine having your own government to run. Who wouldn't do it?

... Seriously though, what other search / advertising players have taken the 2nd and 3rd world economies seriously at all? If this "test" goes well for them, they could have a major head start at monetizing the internet in the rest of the world (Where most of the population is). Remember for a lot of people, AOL *was* the internet. Now imagine in 10 years that 4/5ths of the worlds population thinks that Google is the internet. Everything else will cease to be relevant.

Re:All your Sub-Saharan Countries Are Belong To Us

[khallow]

The only problem with this scenario is why would Google do this? First, I don't see how Google would have enough resources to do this. Second, it doesn't help their business. And I don't see compelling public good present either.

... Seriously though, what other search / advertising players have taken the 2nd and 3rd world economies seriously at all?

Microsoft. And keep in mind, there's local business as well. The big US search engines and advertisers aren't the only ones on the planet.

Now imagine in 10 years that 4/5ths of the worlds population thinks that Google is the internet. Everything else will cease to be relevant.

Sounds nice, but what does Google get out of it? Remember they already dominate in global advertising and have laid the infrastructure for keeping that position. My take is that Google is just setting up server farms and fiber network like they do in the US and elsewhere. They just started in Kenya because local conditions were more favorable than in South Africa. I don't see some deep strategy here (well no deeper than building more of their sophisticated infrastructure) nor do I see the need for it.

Re:Here's the deal.

[geekoid]

and?

So it was google all along!

[Esc7]

I know what they are doing!

Good News for Africa

[magixman]

The fact that Google is setting up in country other than ZA is a very big vote of confidence for the continent. I am not in a position to understand the business aspects of the deal with respect to communications infrastructure or regulatory frameworks but I think that if you want to win the hearts and minds of Africans you have to look into the future and see beyond just South Africa which has been the "safe" choice for western-based international businesses.

google in kenya

[al77]

It's about time. Many big foreign corporations Africa headquarters are based in Nairobi. GE recently moved it's Africa office to Kenya from SA as an example. Nairobi is also the host city of several United Nations agencies like UNEP and HABITAT as well as other international organizations. Kenya is also strategically located on the map of Africa unlike SA. Most of the current innovations are truly African driven unlike SA where most of the economy is still dominated by whites. Also SA Blacks have alot of catching up to do education wise. Kenya's Telecomunications sector is exploding. Kenya Airways has been voted consistently the best airline in Africa. Nairobi also has the most airline connections to other cities from Africa than any airline in Africa. It's therefore the ideal hub. Even Richard Branson was in Nairobi last month to launch Virgin airlines from Nairobi to London. Hes also eyeing investments in other areas like telecomunications. Kenya has a huge educated pool of workers. Kenya even sends the most number of students to study in America than any African country. And also Kenya has been a haven of peace in Africa no civil wars and the kind. Kenyans are always in a hurry, friendly and are agressive as this SA website says: http://www.africaalmanac.com/top20townscitys.html Lastly Kenyans love nature Kenya is beautiful and famous for its Safaris and world beating Athletes Even the word "Safari" is Kenyan Swahili for travel. Lastly theres enuff coffee for google geeks so expect some great code. There's no reason why not to choose Kenya.

Re:If youre going to buy a government

[voss]

You dont have to buy the entire country you just buy the government.