Cassava Technologies’ plan to build Africa’s first artificial intelligence (AI) factory could cost up to $720 million, according to Bloomberg.
This project aims to improve the continent’s technological landscape by providing advanced AI computing capabilities to businesses, governments, and researchers.
The AI factory will be equipped with Nvidia’s cutting-edge GPU-based supercomputers, facilitating faster AI model training, fine-tuning, and advanced inference capabilities.
Cassava plans to deploy 12,000 GPUs across South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco over the next three to four years, with the initial phase commencing in South Africa by June 2025. These GPUs are estimated to cost between $45,000 and $60,000.
This initiative is set to provide AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) to local startups, enterprises, and governments, enabling them to accelerate digital innovation across key sectors such as healthcare, fintech, and agriculture.
By building local AI infrastructure, Cassava aims to reduce dependence on foreign data centers, ensuring that data remains within Africa’s borders and fostering sustainable AI growth.
Strive Masiyiwa emphasised the importance of creating a conducive environment for investment in Africa’s digital future. He stated, “Building digital infrastructure for the AI economy is a priority if Africa is to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution.”
This substantial investment underscores the growing recognition of Africa’s potential in the global AI landscape. By providing the necessary infrastructure and resources, Cassava Technologies and Nvidia are positioning the continent to become a significant player in AI innovation and development.
The project—dubbed Africa’s first AI factory—aims to make high-performance AI computing accessible to startups, research institutions, and public sector agencies across the continent. It comes as part of a broader strategy to close the digital divide and equip Africa with the tools to participate meaningfully in the global AI economy.
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Hardy Pemhiwa, President and CEO of Cassava Technologies, said the collaboration with Nvidia will provide African businesses and governments with the infrastructure to run complex AI workloads locally. This is expected to significantly reduce the need for data to travel outside the continent for processing, improving latency and data sovereignty.
The choice of South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco reflects where Cassava has already established or is expanding its digital infrastructure. South Africa, in particular, is often seen as a springboard for continental tech initiatives due to its relatively mature market and connectivity.
This is not Nvidia’s first foray into Africa. In 2023, the chipmaker announced a partnership with Ethiopian-founded talent cloud company Gebeya to train 50,000 AI professionals across the continent. But the deal with Cassava is its most significant infrastructure-focused effort so far.
If fully realised, the $720 million investment would be one of the largest private tech infrastructure commitments on the continent to date. It underscores the growing recognition of Africa as a critical frontier for the next wave of digital innovation, with AI at the centre.
