A bold new chapter in Africa’s tech journey is unfolding, and it’s one driven by ambition, vision, and the urgency to not be left behind. Cassava Technologies, the pan-African tech powerhouse founded by Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, has announced plans to invest up to $720 million in what will become the continent’s first artificial intelligence factory—developed in partnership with global chipmaker Nvidia.
The project isn’t just a landmark for Africa—it’s a signal to the world that the continent intends to be an active participant in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Speaking on the importance of this step, Cassava’s Group CEO Hardy Pemhiwa said, “If we don’t take the first step to deploy our capital, however limited it may be, we can’t expect others to go first. This is about ensuring that Africa doesn’t get left behind.”
The initiative will kick off in South Africa, where 3,000 high-performance graphic processing units (GPUs) from Nvidia are expected to be deployed by June. These GPUs are essential for advanced AI tasks such as deep learning, language processing, and complex data analysis. Over the next three to four years, Cassava plans to install a total of 12,000 GPUs across five African countries: South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria.
The cost of each GPU ranges between $45,000 and $60,000—a significant investment by any standard. But for Pemhiwa and his team, this isn’t just about acquiring powerful hardware; it’s about building a robust AI ecosystem from the ground up. “The GPUs themselves are like laying fibre,” Pemhiwa explained. “The investment is really about building the whole AI ecosystem.”
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What makes this partnership even more strategic is Nvidia’s market dominance. With a 93% share of the global GPU market, they bring both technical muscle and industry credibility. Cassava also sees commercial potential in the surplus computing power, which can be sold to Nvidia’s global cloud customers—creating a potential revenue stream that could sustain and grow the initiative over time.
Strive Masiyiwa, a longtime advocate for digital inclusion in Africa, underscored the long-term vision: “AI infrastructure isn’t just a tech trend—it’s a foundational step if Africa is to truly participate in the global economy of the future.” He added that the AI factory is not only about innovation but about creating access. The infrastructure will serve a wide range of users—from researchers and start-ups to healthcare providers, fintech developers, and governments.
If successful, this project could unlock a wave of African innovation powered by homegrown talent and global-grade infrastructure. It’s a leap forward not just in technology, but in how Africa sees and shapes its own future.
