By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Liquid C2, a business of Cassava Technologies, has opened Africa’s first Partner Experience Centre powered by Google Cloud in Johannesburg, South Africa aiming to boost cloud and artificial intelligence adoption across the continent by giving partners and resellers hands-on access to advanced technologies.
The state-of-the-art facility shifts partners beyond traditional distribution roles, offering an immersive environment to design and deploy cloud and AI solutions tailored to African needs. Partners will follow a structured path to earn official Google Cloud accreditations and certifications, with training from both Liquid C2 and Google experts.
“At Cassava Technologies, we believe the future of Africa’s digital transformation will be shaped through strong ecosystems that combine global innovation with local infrastructure and expertise,” said Ziaad Suleman, Senior Vice President, Cassava Technologies and CEO, South Africa & Botswana. “The Partner Experience Centre powered by Google Cloud creates a practical environment where organisations can explore, test, and scale solutions that deliver real business value. By combining our infrastructure, expertise, and continental reach with Google Cloud’s advanced technologies, we are helping to democratise access to AI and cloud capabilities for enterprises across Africa.”
Tara Brady, president of Google Cloud for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, described the launch as a key step in the company’s support for Africa’s digital growth.
“This is a pivotal moment in our commitment to Africa’s digital future,” Brady said. “The Partner Experience Centre is a testament to our belief in the power of a strong partner ecosystem. By combining our advanced AI capabilities, including our Gemini models, with Liquid C2’s localised expertise, we are not just building a facility; we are building a hub for innovation that will empower businesses, create jobs, and deliver the benefits of digital transformation to every corner of the continent.”
The centre also functions as a collaborative space where partners work with specialist engineers to create custom solutions, which Liquid C2’s distribution network then brings to market. Company officials said the initiative opens fresh business opportunities while spurring high-value job creation and strengthening Africa’s tech ecosystem.
Partners and resellers gain direct access to enterprise-grade tools, including Gemini Enterprise and the Gemini Playspace for quick AI experimentation. Specialist support helps them prototype, test and scale digital solutions in realistic settings. The facility underscores Liquid C2’s push to help partners navigate infrastructure limits, skills shortages and other hurdles that have slowed digital progress in many African markets.
As demand for sophisticated digital tools rises, the centre is positioned as an innovation hub. Enterprises, startups, academic institutions, developers and public-sector groups can collaborate there on solutions relevant to local conditions, building a shared sense of advancement across the continent.
The facility features industry-specific platforms for sectors such as financial services, healthcare and retail. These demonstrate how AI-driven tools can lower operational risks, boost efficiency, strengthen customer ties and reveal new growth paths in African markets.
The effort centers on three main areas: speeding up partner training through a dedicated proof-of-concept hub that tackles past market obstacles with localized sessions, direct technology interaction and business assistance, including local-currency billing and credit options. It also emphasizes AI innovation, with a Gemini Playspace and AI Solutions area for certifying staff and Solutions Pods where partners can showcase full technology setups to compete for major contracts. Finally, it targets economic expansion and employment by expanding the partner base, developing local skills and generating opportunities for certified engineers and other technology professionals.
Liquid C2 has long focused on delivering leading digital technologies to African businesses, both directly and via partners. Officials said the new centre marks another step in leveraging the company’s broad reach to support more organizations.
Cassava Technologies continues broadening digital access through its mix of connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity and other solutions. The goal is to ensure companies of all sizes and in every sector can tap advanced tools and take part more fully in Africa’s growing digital economy.
