Cassava Technologies, in partnership with NVIDIA, is set to revolutionize the landscape of AI computing in Africa with the launch of Africa’s first AI Factory. This cutting-edge facility will provide African businesses, governments, and researchers with access to state-of-the-art AI computing capacity, empowering them to drive local innovation, economic growth, and digital independence.
The AI Factory, powered by NVIDIA’s AI computing technology, will offer a secure and powerful data center facility that enables the development of smarter AI products, streamlines operations, and ensures competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global market. By providing supercomputers and software necessary for AI training while keeping data within Africa’s borders, Cassava aims to bridge the technological gap and empower African entities to harness the power of AI.
Scheduled to be operational by June 2025, the AI Factory will be initially deployed in South Africa, with plans for expansion to other data center facilities in Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. Leveraging Cassava’s high-speed, ultra-low-latency fiber-optic network and sustainable data centers, the AI Factory will deliver AI as a Service (AIaaS) to meet the growing demand for AI capabilities across the continent.
At the core of the AI Factory are NVIDIA GPU-based supercomputers, which will enable faster AI model training, fine-tuning, and advanced inference capabilities. By introducing these accelerated computing platforms to Africa as an NVIDIA Cloud Partner, Cassava is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing the continent’s AI ecosystem and driving innovation at scale.
The establishment of the Cassava AI Factory signifies a significant milestone in Africa’s digital transformation journey, providing businesses and researchers with the essential AI computing power needed to scale, boost productivity, and foster innovation. By offering a secure and high-performance environment for AI development, African entities can address local challenges and deploy AI solutions compliant with global and local regulations.
In the words of Strive Masiyiwa, Founder & Chairman of Cassava, “Building digital infrastructure for the AI economy is a priority if Africa is to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution.” The collaboration with NVIDIA not only equips African businesses, startups, and researchers with cutting-edge AI infrastructure but also strengthens the continent’s digital independence, paving the way for groundbreaking innovations.
Jaap Zuiderveld, VP EMEA at NVIDIA, emphasizes the transformative impact of AI in various industries across Africa, highlighting Cassava’s role as an essential infrastructure provider for accelerating AI development and fostering innovation continent-wide.
As Cassava continues its legacy of providing world-class digital solutions, the AI Factory underscores the group’s commitment to responsible AI adoption, innovation, and productivity growth in Africa. With a focus on empowering local entities and driving sustainable development, the AI Factory represents a significant leap forward in Africa’s technological advancement and economic prosperity.
