A Opera, creator of the eponymous browser, announced on Tuesday (9) that it intends to invest in Africa one hundred million dollars during the next two years to help the growth of the digital economy.
The company hopes to use the investment to accelerate internet adoption on the continent and strengthen the online ecosystem with local partners. According to Opera, Africa is on track to become a digital continent with the rapid adoption of the mobile internet.
The Opera Mini browser has been a key facilitator in the process of digital transformation in Africa. Recently the company has reached the mark of one hundred million monthly users in Africa and is now focusing on making the next generation of browsers and meeting the needs of African users.
"Opera users in Africa will receive fully personalized and local content in the browser, the entry point for their Internet experience."
Opera also said that the biggest barriers to Internet adoption in most African countries are the lack of awareness and digital knowledge, relevant local content and accessibility. To attract more first-time Internet users, the company said it is investing in an artificial intelligence engine for smartphone users that will ensure a good content discovery experience.
Currently, Opera has operations in Cape Town (Nigeria) in Johannesburg (South Africa) and is expanding with new offices in Lagos (Nigeria) in Nairobi (Kenya).
