Cassava Technologies Unveils AI Factory for Africa, Powered by NVIDIA Supercomputers – The Zimbabwe Mail

Ziaad Suleman, CEO of Cassava Technologies (Image: LinkedIn)

Cassava Technologies has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) factory designed to accelerate Africa’s digital economy, leveraging NVIDIA supercomputers to provide the processing power needed for advanced machine learning and generative AI applications.

The facility is being positioned as a backbone for African startups, enterprises, and researchers to build scalable AI solutions tailored to local markets. From agriculture and healthcare to finance and education, Cassava says the AI factory will enable developers to design applications that directly address Africa’s economic and social realities.

“Local innovation, supported by local skills, is critical to ensure sustainability and relevance,” said Ziaad Suleman, CEO of Cassava Technologies for South Africa and Botswana. “When we have the skills and the infrastructure to support them, the sky’s the limit.”

Competing in the Global AI Race

The move comes as Africa races to avoid being sidelined in the global AI boom, where countries with advanced digital infrastructure and talent pipelines are pulling ahead. Analysts say Africa risks widening its technological divide unless local ecosystems invest heavily in computing infrastructure, skills development, and regulatory frameworks.

By aligning with NVIDIA — whose GPUs dominate the generative AI sector — Cassava aims to lower barriers for African innovators to train, test, and deploy models at scale. This could open pathways for building homegrown AI platforms in African languages, as well as tools for financial inclusion, smart agriculture, and digital health.

Beyond Hardware

Still, Suleman cautioned that computing power alone will not deliver Africa’s AI ambitions. “The urgency is clear,” he said. “Every delay risks widening Africa’s technological divide, while each step forward brings the continent closer to being not only connected, but competitive.”

He emphasised that investment must also flow into digital literacy, cloud adoption, cybersecurity, policy frameworks, and workforce training to build an AI-ready ecosystem.

Strategic Play

Cassava’s launch is part of a broader strategy to position itself as a pan-African digital infrastructure leader. The company, which has operations across more than 20 countries, has been scaling investments in data centres, cloud services, and connectivity — areas seen as critical enablers of AI adoption.

Industry watchers note that AI infrastructure is rapidly becoming a strategic asset, with tech giants from the US, Europe, and China racing to dominate global markets. Africa’s participation, they argue, will hinge on whether initiatives like Cassava’s can attract sustained investment, foster strong public-private partnerships, and nurture a pipeline of skilled developers.

If successful, the AI factory could mark a turning point in Africa’s ability to build — not just consume — advanced digital technologies.

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