Zim Now Writer
Cassava Technologies, a pan-African tech powerhouse, has entered into a strategic partnership with Zindi, the continent’s largest network of data scientists, to fast-track Africa’s artificial intelligence transformation. Through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the two entities aim to deliver cutting-edge GPU-as-a-Service and AI-driven solutions tailored to the continent’s unique challenges.
At the heart of this collaboration is a shared vision to nurture local innovation and empower African talent. Zindi’s data science platform, used by developers and startups across the continent, will now be powered by Cassava’s advanced GPU infrastructure—dramatically boosting the computational capacity available to African innovators.
This initiative is a continuation of Cassava’s partnership with NVIDIA, announced in March 2025, which includes the construction of Africa’s first AI factory. Once operational by mid-2025, the AI factory will provide the computing backbone to fuel AI innovation in key sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and finance.
“For Africa’s AI ecosystem to grow and thrive, it is essential to provide platforms and resources for the continent’s developers and startups,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies. “Cassava is proud to support local stakeholders as they develop digital solutions to some of Africa’s most pressing problems.”
According to Zindi, only 5% of African AI practitioners currently have access to sufficient computational resources, a major roadblock in the continent’s quest to participate meaningfully in the global AI economy. This new alliance aims to change that.
Cassava has committed up to US$720 million to roll out NVIDIA-powered GPU infrastructure starting in South Africa by June 2025. The rollout will expand to Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria, with an initial deployment of 3,000 GPUs, scaling to 12,000 over the next 3–4 years. These will provide African researchers, governments, and businesses with access to high-performance computing for training and deploying AI models—while ensuring data remains within Africa’s borders for enhanced security and compliance.
As part of the partnership, dedicated AI challenges will be hosted on Zindi’s platform, aimed at discovering new talent, building skills, encouraging entrepreneurship, and creating job opportunities. Both organisations also plan to integrate their platforms, expanding access to critical tools and resources for local developers.
Despite these advancements, Africa’s AI journey is not without its challenges. Unstable power infrastructure, limited access to high-end devices, and the high cost of computing hardware still hinder widespread AI deployment. However, experts like Alex Tsado of Alliance4AI believe Cassava’s investments represent a game-changing move.
“This is a big step toward democratising AI development in Africa,” said Tsado. “It puts real power in the hands of African innovators.”
With the AI factory coming online by mid-2025 and a new generation of African data scientists rising through Zindi’s platform, this partnership marks a pivotal moment for African tech. Cassava’s collaboration with Zindi and NVIDIA not only unlocks access to global-standard infrastructure but also sets Africa on a bold path toward technological sovereignty, economic empowerment, and AI leadership on the global stage.
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