Strive Masiyiwa built one of Africa’s telecom empires. Now he is backing a $720 million ambition to build the continent’s AI infrastructure. The bigger story is how one Zimbabwean entrepreneur is moving from connecting Africa to powering its next generation of technology companies. After building Econet into a major African telecommunications business, Strive Masiyiwa expanded his ambitions through Cassava Technologies.
Today, Cassava operates across fibre connectivity, data centres, cloud services and digital infrastructure. The scale is significant. 110,000+ kilometres of fibre network. A planned $720 million AI infrastructure investment. An AI Factory announced as operational in 2026. But the numbers are only the headline. The deeper story is computing power. Africa has a growing generation of AI developers, entrepreneurs and technology companies.
Yet building globally competitive AI businesses requires more than talent and software. It requires access to computing infrastructure, reliable connectivity and the capacity to develop technology closer to African markets. Cassava is working to build that foundation. Telecommunications created the reach. Fibre connected the markets. AI infrastructure opens the next opportunity. For Africa's technology ecosystem, Masiyiwa's journey represents something significant.
An African entrepreneur who helped expand mobile connectivity is now backing the infrastructure needed for the continent's next technological chapter. The $720 million ambition gets the attention. Telecommunications helped connect Africa. Computing infrastructure could help power its next generation of technology companies.
