Latest news with #CassavaTechnologies
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Africa's struggle in the global AI race: Addressing the digital divide
Recently, Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa's Cassava Technologies announced a partnership with Nvidia to build Africa's first artificial intelligence factory. Image: Reuters Africa is lagging far behind in the global AI race. This does not come as a surprise, however, it has now been confirmed and revealed in an Oxford University report titled, AI Compute Sovereignty Infrastructure Control Across Territories, Cloud Providers, and Accelerators'. The report mapped where AI data centres are located. It claims that artificial intelligence has fractured the world between nations with the computing power for building cutting edge AI systems and those without. The report indicates that only 32 countries, or about 16% of nations, have large facilities filled with microchips and computers, which gives them 'computer power'. This revelation should serve as a wake up call to those who care about the sovereignty of different nations. It seems those who should act are more concerned about the appearance of advancement in the AI race. In Africa what we've seen so far is the continuation of what has happened in the past. Africa has just served as a shop front of tech giants and local leaders have been excited about selling global tech to locals. We are witnessing the entry of AI solutions in the form of products for consumption instead of AI development initiatives. The only promising initiative is brought to the continent by Strive Masiyiwa. Recently, Zimbabwean billionaire Masiyiwa's Cassava Technologies announced a partnership with Nvidia to build Africa's first artificial intelligence factory. This isn't just another data centre it's a specialised powerhouse designed specifically for AI computing. It's reported that Cassava plans to use Nvidia's cutting-edge AI technology in South Africa, with expansion planned across Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. The facility will be powered by Nvidia supercomputers that use GPUs, or graphics processing units. It is envisaged that it will provide what Cassava calls 'AI as a service' across the continent, leveraging an extensive fiber-optic network and energy-efficient data centers. An AI factory is designed to power others to get the benefits that comes with AI. Coined by Nvidia's visionary CEO, Jensen Huang, an AI factory is a specialised environment equipped with the infrastructure needed to manage a complete AI life cycle. It's where raw data enters and trained AI emerges. These facilities streamline the development of AI systems by bringing together data pipelines, algorithm development, and model experimentation into one optimized ecosystem. The beauty with such a concept is that it enables local data to be put into good use for homegrown AI solutions. There's a need for more such AI factories. Clearly, not enough is being done to ensure that the African continent is on an equal footing with nations in the AI race. The current situation calls for an urgent intervention by leaders across the continent. Lack of action in this regard could lead to a situation where the continent will always beg others for just about everything. The first step in this regard could focus on the establishment of an AI Fund sourced from leading African countries for the creation of more local AI factories. Some academics in South Africa have been thinking about this issue, however, little is known about their recommendations. It's about time that all stakeholders begin open discussions about required action to address the new digital divide. Wesley Diphoko is a Technology Analyst and Editor-in-Chief of Fast Company (South Africa) magazine. Image: Supplied
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Cassava Technologies partners with the South African Artificial Intelligence Association to boost local access to Artificial Intelligence (AI) compute services
Cassava Technologies ( a global technology leader of African heritage, is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the South African AI Association (SAAIA), an industry body focused on growing responsible AI adoption, to deliver artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaas) across the African continent. In terms of the agreement, SAAIA's more than 3,000 AI practitioners, comprising entrepreneurs, researchers, and members of the wider business community in South Africa, will have access to Cassava's data centre GPUs to develop and deploy local AI solutions and initiatives. The two organisations will also collaborate on initiatives aimed at supporting the regional and broader African AI ecosystem. 'We are proud to partner with SAAIA to support the growth of Africa's AI ecosystem. By extending our advanced AI infrastructure and capabilities to SAAIA's growing community of AI professionals, we're enabling greater access to the compute power required to build, test, and scale innovative local solutions. We believe this partnership will deliver meaningful value to both organisations and, more importantly, to the business and research communities driving AI development on the continent,' said Ziaad Suleman, CEO of Cassava Technologies South Africa and Botswana. As South Africa's leading AI ecosystem builder, the South African Artificial Intelligence Association is focused on promoting the advancement of responsible AI in the country by uniting thousands of AI practitioners across the commercial, government, academic, startup, and NGO sectors. SAAIA also hosts the largest AI event in Africa, AI Expo Africa, and serves as a driving force behind trade and investment in the continent's rapidly expanding smart technology segment. 'SAAIA is pleased to be partnering with Cassava Technologies in strengthening AI in South Africa. Supporting local AI entrepreneurs is a key pillar of SAAIA, and access to GPU-as-a-Service is a key enabler to growing the emerging AI startup ecosystem,' said SAAIA Founder and Chairman, Dr Nick Bradshaw. Cassava's collaboration with SAAIA reinforces its commitment to providing world-class digital solutions and advancing responsible AI adoption, innovation, and growth in Africa. It follows Cassava's recent announcement of plans to build Africa's first AI factory, providing local businesses, governments, and researchers with access to cutting-edge AI computing capacity. This aligns with Cassava's vision of being the leading digital solutions provider in its chosen markets, empowering Africans to thrive in the digital economy. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cassava Technologies. About Cassava Technologies: Cassava Technologies is a global technology leader of African heritage providing a vertically integrated ecosystem of digital services and infrastructure enabling digital transformation. Headquartered in the UK, Cassava has a presence across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the United States of America. Through its business units, namely, Cassava AI, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Liquid C2, Africa Data Centres, and Sasai Fintech, the company provides its customers' products and services in 94 countries. These solutions drive the company's ambition of establishing itself as a leading global technology company of African heritage.
Zawya
19-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
CORRECTION: Africa Data Centres and Blue Turtle partner to accelerate South Africa's digital infrastructure and cloud transformation
Africa Data Centres ( a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, has formed a commercial partnership with Blue Turtle, one of South Africa's leading enterprise IT solutions providers, to deploy colocation services in the Cape Town and Midrand data centres. This agreement marks a significant step in expanding South Africa's enterprise cloud and digital infrastructure ecosystem, enabling secure, scalable, and compliant colocation and private hosted cloud services for local enterprise customers. The partnership enables Blue Turtle to deploy several racks, providing their enterprise clients with access to world-class, secure, and compliant colocation and private hosted cloud services. Additionally, this collaboration will also allow South African businesses the opportunity to rapidly embrace cloud computing, digital transformation, and data-driven operations in a scalable, compliant, and high-performance colocation environment. 'This partnership enables us to offer customers trusted colocation and private cloud solutions in two of South Africa's most strategic data centre locations,' said Jan Hitge, Head of Managed Services at Blue Turtle. 'As enterprise clients increasingly look for secure, scalable, and cost-efficient alternatives to on-premises infrastructure, we anticipate strong market uptake - a confidence reflected in the accelerated ramp-up timeline we've committed to.' By providing high-availability colocation services backed by regulatory compliance, low-latency connectivity, and disaster recovery capabilities, the partnership is expected to support enterprises in modernising their IT environments, enhancing security posture, and meeting evolving data sovereignty requirements under laws such as South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). 'This agreement is about more than just filling racks; it's about enabling digital transformation across the economy,' said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Africa Data Centres. 'Blue Turtle brings a strong client base and the ability to scale rapidly, making them an ideal partner in our mission to deliver secure, resilient, and sustainable digital infrastructure across South Africa. As demand for trusted infrastructure continues to climb, we will work towards this partnership evolving to support broader cloud initiatives, edge computing, and AI-ready infrastructure deployments.' With commercial partners like Blue Turtle, Africa Data Centres continues to expand its footprint and impact across the continent, powering the next phase of enterprise transformation and solidifying South Africa's status as a leading technology hub in Africa. Africa Data Centres, which operates the continent's largest interconnected, vendor- and cloud-neutral data centre platform, will benefit from Blue Turtle's strong go-to-market capabilities and proven track record in delivering IT solutions to South Africa's enterprise sector. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Data Centres. Africa Data Centres: Africa Data Centres owns and operates Africa's largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities. Bringing international experts to the pan-African market, Africa Data Centres is a trusted partner for rapid and secure data centre services and interconnections across Africa. Strategically located in South, East and West Africa our world-class data centre facilities provide a home for all business-critical data for Africa's small, medium and large enterprises and global hyperscale customers.
Zawya
18-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Liquid C2 achieves Sophos Platinum Partner status, elevating cloud and cyber managed services across Africa
Liquid C2 ( a business of Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader of African heritage, is proud to announce that it has attained Platinum Partner status with global cyber security leader Sophos, the highest level in Sophos' partner programme. As a Managed Service Provider Partner across Africa, we can deliver flexible, subscription-based solutions and services across the continent. This milestone, which applies to all its operations across the continent, highlights Liquid C2's proven capabilities in delivering cutting-edge cyber security services. Additionally, our customers will now be able to access cutting-edge protection through a monthly billing model—eliminating the need for large upfront investments and making enterprise-grade security more accessible and scalable. 'As African businesses grow and evolve, they are exposed to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Being awarded Sophos Platinum Partner status reflects our determination to protect and empower these organisations as they navigate Africa's digital future, through world-class technology and an experienced team of cyber security professionals. Together, we're empowering organisations to build secure, resilient digital operations as they scale in the digital economy,' said Oswald Jumira, Chief Executive Officer of Liquid C2. With losses attributed to cybercrime ( in Africa exceeding $4 billion annually, it also reaffirms Liquid C2's commitment to protecting African businesses with world-class solutions and services tailored to the continent's evolving threat landscape. 'Platinum Partner status recognises an organisation's deep expertise and commitment to cyber security solutions and services tailored to African enterprises. We are pleased to partner with Liquid as they empower organisations to flourish in a digital era,' said Pieter Nel, Sales Director for SADC&IOC at Sophos. As a Sophos Platinum Partner, Liquid C2 delivers exceptional value through a robust suite of cyber security solutions and services. These include 24x7x365 managed detection and response (MDR) via our Security Operation Centre's (SOCs); expert consulting and implementation aligned with international standards; and ongoing support and/or managed security services. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Liquid Intelligent Technologies. About Liquid C2: Liquid C2, a subsidiary of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, delivers cutting-edge cloud and cybersecurity services and solutions. Committed to facilitating digital transformation, Liquid C2 is positioned to provide comprehensive solutions tailored to meet the evolving demands of the digital era by empowering businesses to navigate the complexities of the modern digital landscape securely. The company's offerings span cloud solutions that enhance accessibility and scalability, and robust cybersecurity services to safeguard sensitive data and elevate security and compliance posture to ensure businesses remain seamlessly connected and protected. About Sophos:
Zawya
17-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa Data Centres and Blue Turtle Technologies partner to accelerate South Africa's digital infrastructure and cloud transformation
Africa Data Centres ( a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, has formed a commercial partnership with Blue Turtle Technologies, one of South Africa's leading enterprise IT solutions providers, to deploy colocation services in the Cape Town and Midrand data centres. This agreement marks a significant step in expanding South Africa's enterprise cloud and digital infrastructure ecosystem, enabling secure, scalable, and compliant colocation and private hosted cloud services for local enterprise customers. The partnership enables Blue Turtle Technologies to deploy several racks, providing their enterprise clients with access to world-class, secure, and compliant colocation and private hosted cloud services. Additionally, this collaboration will also allow South African businesses the opportunity to rapidly embrace cloud computing, digital transformation, and data-driven operations in a scalable, compliant, and high-performance colocation environment. 'This partnership enables us to offer customers trusted colocation and private cloud solutions in two of South Africa's most strategic data centre locations,' said Jan Hitge, Business Development Manager, Managed Services at Blue Turtle Technologies. 'As enterprise clients increasingly look for secure, scalable, and cost-efficient alternatives to on-premises infrastructure, we anticipate strong market uptake - a confidence reflected in the accelerated ramp-up timeline we've committed to.' By providing high-availability colocation services backed by regulatory compliance, low-latency connectivity, and disaster recovery capabilities, the partnership is expected to support enterprises in modernising their IT environments, enhancing security posture, and meeting evolving data sovereignty requirements under laws such as South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). 'This agreement is about more than just filling racks; it's about enabling digital transformation across the economy,' said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Africa Data Centres. 'Blue Turtle brings a strong client base and the ability to scale rapidly, making them an ideal partner in our mission to deliver secure, resilient, and sustainable digital infrastructure across South Africa. As demand for trusted infrastructure continues to climb, we will work towards this partnership evolving to support broader cloud initiatives, edge computing, and AI-ready infrastructure deployments.' With commercial partners like Blue Turtle, Africa Data Centres continues to expand its footprint and impact across the continent, powering the next phase of enterprise transformation and solidifying South Africa's status as a leading technology hub in Africa. Africa Data Centres, which operates the continent's largest interconnected, vendor- and cloud-neutral data centre platform, will benefit from Blue Turtle's strong go-to-market capabilities and proven track record in delivering IT solutions to South Africa's enterprise sector. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Data Centres. Africa Data Centres: Africa Data Centres owns and operates Africa's largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities. Bringing international experts to the pan-African market, Africa Data Centres is a trusted partner for rapid and secure data centre services and interconnections across Africa. Strategically located in South, East and West Africa our world-class data centre facilities provide a home for all business-critical data for Africa's small, medium and large enterprises and global hyperscale customers.
