Cassava's $720M AI Bet: Building Africa's Tech Sovereignty

Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology firm founded by Zimbabwean telecoms mogul Strive Masiyiwa, has announced plans to invest $720 million in establishing five artificial intelligence (AI) facilities across Africa. The initiative, part of the company’s “Sovereign AI Cloud” strategy, aims to localize AI infrastructure and reduce the continent’s reliance on external resources. The project will deploy 12,000 Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs), with the first facility in South Africa already under development and set for completion by year-end. The remaining four facilities, to be built in Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, and Egypt, are expected to take three to four years to completeTechnext24, ^[1].

The South African facility will initially house 3,000 Nvidia GPUs, with additional 9,000 GPUs to be installed across the other four countries. Nvidia’s AI software will be integrated through its Cloud Partner reference architectures, enabling high-performance computing for AI model trainingYahoo Finance, ^[2]. Hardy Pemhiwa, Cassava’s president and CEO, emphasized the importance of African leadership in AI infrastructure: “If we don’t take the first step to deploy our own 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.”Technext24, ^[1]

Masiyiwa, a billionaire with a net worth of $1.3 billion, highlighted the project’s potential to democratize access to AI tools. Currently, only 5% of Africa’s AI talent has access to the computational power required for advanced model training, with just 1% benefiting from on-premises facilitiesAfrica-Press, ^[3]. By building local infrastructure, Cassava aims to empower African businesses, startups, and researchers with cutting-edge AI resources without needing to outsource to global cloud providers. “Our AI factory provides the infrastructure for innovation to scale,” Masiyiwa stated, adding that the facilities will also allow surplus computing capacity to be sold to global Nvidia cloud clientsYahoo Finance, ^[2].

The initiative aligns with broader efforts to expand Africa’s digital infrastructure. Cassava’s existing network of data centers and partnerships with companies like Liquid Intelligent Technologies will support the AI facilities’ operations. The project also follows the launch of Cassava’s dedicated AI business unit earlier this year, which has secured collaborations with global tech giants including Microsoft, AWS, Google, and AnthropicTechnext24, ^[1]. These partnerships are expected to enhance the accessibility of AI tools for African developers, addressing a critical gap in the continent’s digital economy.

Analysts note that the investment addresses a significant underfunding in Africa’s AI sector. Despite a growing talent pool, the continent contributes less than 1% of global AI research and development, constrained by limited infrastructure, skill shortages, and regulatory fragmentation. With Cassava’s AI facilities, African startups and researchers could bypass the high costs of international cloud services, accelerating local innovation in sectors like healthcare, fintech, and agricultureAfrica-Press, ^[3]. The project also aligns with recent continental policy developments, including the Global AI Summit in Kigali, where leaders pledged to promote ethical and inclusive AI growthAfrica-Press, ^[3].

The timing of the investment is strategic, as Africa’s AI market is projected to grow from $4.5 billion in 2025 to $16.5 billion by 2030Africa-Press, ^[3]. However, current AI spending on the continent represents just 1-1.5% of global investment, underscoring the need for initiatives like Cassava’s. By linking the AI facilities to its broader digital network, Cassava aims to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that retains data and talent locally, fostering scalable solutions and reinforcing Africa’s digital sovereigntyTechnext24, ^[1].