By Business Reporter–Zimbabwe’s richest businessman, Strive Masiyiwa, has joined forces with the world’s tenth-richest man, Jensen Huang, in a landmark initiative to establish Africa’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) factory.
The state-of-the-art AI factory is being developed through a partnership between Masiyiwa’s Cassava Technologies and Huang’s Nvidia, one of the most valuable technology companies in the world. The initiative marks a significant milestone in Africa’s digital transformation, with advanced Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) already deployed in South Africa—the first country on the continent to receive them.
Cassava Technologies plans to expand GPU installations across key African markets, including Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and Morocco, laying the foundation for widespread AI innovation.
Speaking on the project, Masiyiwa emphasized the transformative potential of the collaboration:
“Collaborating with Nvidia gives us the advanced computing capabilities needed to drive Africa’s AI innovation while strengthening the continent’s digital independence.”
At the Global AI Summit on Africa 2025, held in Kigali in April—where Masiyiwa served as co-chair—he expressed hope for youth-led innovation:
“The future comes from young people building apps and solutions, small businesses every day across this continent using AI. They are the digital natives, and we have just given them the ability to do what they do best.”
Cassava has committed to investing up to $720 million in the development of AI infrastructure. The company will roll out Nvidia’s accelerated computing systems and AI software across its African network, ensuring access to cutting-edge technologies within the continent.
Nvidia’s systems will be deployed using its Cloud Partner reference architectures, with hundreds of GPUs powering high-performance AI capabilities. According to Hardy Pemhiwa, president of Cassava Technologies, 3,000 Nvidia GPUs are set to be installed at the South African plant by June. An additional 9,000 units will be deployed over the next three to four years in Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, and Egypt.
Masiyiwa added:
“Building digital infrastructure for the AI economy is a priority if Africa is to take full 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.”
Strive Masiyiwa is currently ranked as Africa’s 16th richest individual and remains one of the continent’s most influential technology leaders.
Source: Online Reports