Zimbabwean billionaire and telecom mogul Strive Masiyiwa is set to revolutionize Africa’s technological landscape through a groundbreaking partnership between his company, Cassava Technologies, and U.S. tech giant Nvidia. The collaboration will establish Africa’s first artificial intelligence (AI) factory, integrating Nvidia’s high-performance computing and AI software into Cassava’s data centers.
According to a statement from Cassava Technologies, the AI infrastructure will be operational in South Africa by June 2025, with further expansion planned for Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria.
“This will give African businesses, governments, and researchers access to cutting-edge AI computing capacity, helping them develop smarter AI products, streamline operations, and stay competitive in a fast-changing world. It provides the supercomputers and software needed to train AI while keeping data within Africa’s borders,” the company stated.
AI Infrastructure to Drive Economic Transformation
Masiyiwa emphasized that building AI infrastructure is crucial for Africa’s participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Our AI factory provides the infrastructure for this innovation to scale, empowering African businesses, startups, and researchers with access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure to turn their bold ideas into real-world breakthroughs. Now, they don’t have to look beyond Africa to get it,” he said.
Nvidia’s Vice President for EMEA, Jaap Zuiderveld, highlighted the importance of AI in solving some of Africa’s biggest challenges.
“AI is helping innovators solve our greatest challenges in agriculture, healthcare, energy, financial services, and many other industries, creating opportunity in Africa,” he said.
“As an Nvidia Cloud Partner, Cassava is providing essential infrastructure and software to help pioneering companies and organizations accelerate AI development and foster innovation across the continent.”
Global Tech Firms Betting on Africa’s Digital Future
Cassava Technologies is set to become the first company to introduce accelerated computing to Africa through its Nvidia Cloud Partner status.
This move aligns with a growing trend of global tech giants investing in Africa’s digital future. Last year, Microsoft and G42, the UAE’s leading AI company, announced a $1
R18.57 billion investment in a geothermal-powered data center in Kenya. This multi-year initiative aims to expand cloud-computing capacity in East Africa, reinforcing the region’s potential as a major tech hub.
With Cassava Technologies leading the charge, Africa is poised to become a significant player in AI development, ensuring that homegrown talent and industries benefit from cutting-edge technology without reliance on foreign data centers.
