Cassava to build Africa’s first AI factory with NVIDIA tech

Investing.com -- Cassava Technologies announced plans to build Africa’s first artificial intelligence (AI) factory, a high-security data center powered by NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) AI computing technology. This facility will enable African businesses, governments, and researchers to access state-of-the-art AI computing capacity, aiding them in the creation of smarter AI products and streamlining operations.

The AI factory will be equipped with supercomputers and software necessary for AI training, ensuring data remains within Africa’s borders. Cassava intends to use NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI software, following NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP) reference architectures, in its data centers in South Africa by June 2025. The company also plans to expand this technology to other data center facilities in Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria.

Cassava’s AI Factory will use the company’s pan-African high-speed, ultra-low-latency, fiber-optic network along with sustainable data centers to deliver AI as a Service (AIaaS). The data centers are designed to be energy efficient, consuming less electricity to power AI computing workloads.

NVIDIA GPU-based supercomputers will be the driving force behind the AI factory, allowing for quicker AI model training and advanced inference capabilities. Cassava aims to be the first to introduce these accelerated computing platforms to Africa as an NCP, contributing significantly to the continent’s AI ecosystem.

Strive Masiyiwa, Founder & Chairman of Cassava, emphasized the importance of building digital infrastructure for the AI economy in Africa. He stated, "Our AI Factory provides the infrastructure for this innovation to scale, empowering African businesses, startups, and researchers with access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure to turn their bold ideas into real-world breakthroughs."

Jaap Zuiderveld, VP EMEA at NVIDIA, also acknowledged the role of AI in solving challenges in various sectors, creating opportunities in Africa. He commended Cassava for providing essential infrastructure and software to help pioneering companies and organizations accelerate AI development across the continent.

The establishment of Cassava’s AI Factory marks a significant advancement in the group’s long-standing leadership in providing world-class digital solutions. It also reinforces its commitment to responsible AI adoption, innovation, and productivity growth in Africa.

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