From ZD Net

Following on from last month’s 50th anniversary of the mainframe, IBM has unveiled two new client-facing centres for developing applications and systems for the technology in South Africa and Kenya. Located in Johannesburg and Nairobi, the Mainframe Linux and Cloud Innovation Hubs will serve as both demonstration facilities and support centres.

The two new sites form part of a network of 40 similar centres globally.

IBM South Africa general manager Abraham Thomas says that the company views African expansion in general as a priority, and is also investing in smaller research centres Nigeria and Morocco.

“Africa is an important market for IBM,” Thomas says. “We are making big investments in this marketplace. Over the last two years, all of our senior leaders have visited the continent.

“[These hubs are] for clients and partners to come in and experiment on Linux and System z to develop new applications and to reach out to new partners too.”

Read more at ZD Net