The company will first deploy the high-performance, ultra-secure data centre in South Africa, powered by NVIDIA AI computing technology.
Harare: AfricUpdate – News Desk
Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa’s Cassava Technologies has announced an exciting partnership with Nvidia to build Africa’s first artificial intelligence (AI) factory in South Africa.
Cassava Technologies is set to launch Africa’s first AI factory in June 2025.
Powered by Nvidia’s AI computing technology2, this facility will provide businesses, startups, and researchers with cutting-edge AI infrastructure, helping them develop smarter AI products and streamline operations. Cassava aims to introduce accelerated computing to Africa, making AI more accessible and scalable.
Additionally, Extreme Networks is rolling out its AI-driven networking platform, Extreme Platform ONE, to South African businesses, offering autonomous networking and AI-powered security solutions.Meanwhile, CloudZA is pioneering generative AI solutions tailored to the African market, focusing on local languages, automation, and AI ethics.
Africa is clearly becoming a hub for AI innovation!
Cassava Technologies, founded by Zimbabwean telecoms tycoon Strive Masiyiwa, has tapped Nvidia Corp. to build Africa’s first artificial intelligence factory. Cassava will deploy Nvidia’s advanced computing and AI software at its data centres in South Africa by June 2025.
The same will then be done at its other facilities in Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria, according to a statement released on the company’s website.
Masiyiwa said the rollout of AI infrastructure is critical for Africa to fully take advantage of 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, and now they don’t have to look beyond Africa to get it.”
Cassava aims to be the first to introduce accelerated computing to Africa as a Nvidia cloud partner. Several firms, including Microsoft Corp, and G42, the United Arab Emirates’ top AI firm, expressed an interest last year in building a geothermal-powered data centre in Kenya for $1 billion as part of a multi-year plan to boost cloud-computing capacity in East Africa.
Investing in the AI factory
According to the Cassava Technologies website, Masiyiwa emphasised the importance of digital infrastructure for Africa’s AI economy. “Building digital infrastructure for the AI economy is a priority if Africa is to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution.”
Masiyiwa said their AI Factory provides the necessary infrastructure for innovation to grow, giving African businesses, startups, and researchers access to advanced AI technology to transform their ideas into real-world solutions. He added that they no longer need to seek such resources outside Africa.
Benefiting from this AI factory
The AI Factory will equip African businesses, governments, and researchers with cutting-edge AI computing capacity, according to Cassava Technologies. This will help them develop smarter AI products, streamline operations, and stay competitive in a fast-changing digital world.
This facility provides the supercomputers and software needed for AI model training. It also ensures that data stays within Africa’s borders. This secure and localised approach will help businesses and researchers scale AI innovations without relying on external computing infrastructure.
Launching in South Africa to expand across the African continent
Cassava plans to deploy NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI software through NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP) reference architectures. The AI Factory’s first phase will launch in South Africa by June 2025. Cassava plans to expand it to Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. The facility will use Cassava’s high-speed fibre network and sustainable data centres to provide AI as a Service (AIaaS).
Powered by Nvidia’s advanced computing technology
The AI Factory will utilise NVIDIA GPU-based supercomputers, which will power AI model training, fine-tuning, and advanced inference capabilities. Cassava aims to introduce these accelerated computing platforms as the first NCP in Africa. It seeks to position itself as a crucial player in the continent’s AI ecosystem.
