Africa’s digital transformation took a historic leap forward this week as Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of Cassava Technologies and Econet Group, announced a groundbreaking partnership with Google to deploy its Gemini AI technology across the continent. The collaboration aims to make advanced artificial intelligence tools accessible to millions of Africans while strengthening the region’s digital infrastructure.

Speaking at an event in Cape Town, Masiyiwa revealed that Cassava has purchased 12,000 Nvidia GPUs, Africa’s first large-scale acquisition of high-performance computing power, distributed across five sites, including one near Cape Town. The new AI data centers will serve as “AI factories,” powering Gemini and other large language models such as Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

“They told us there were only 80 Nvidia GPUs on the African continent. I said I wanted 12,000, and they said sure, you can have them,” Masiyiwa said to applause. “These AI factories will enable businesses, developers, and mobile operators to integrate advanced AI capabilities and build services for millions of African users.”

The announcement coincides with Google’s official confirmation of its partnership with Cassava Technologies to make Gemini AI available across Africa, with plans to provide six months of free access through mobile operators. The initiative will enable students, entrepreneurs, and enterprises to use AI for education, innovation, and business productivity.

“This is one of our most exciting sovereign opportunities,” said Dave Wood, Senior Managing Director at Accenture, which is joining the effort as a strategic partner. “The long-term value will come when we can harness intelligence produced by this technology and make it fit for Africa’s industries. We believe this will be GDP-market-moving.”

Masiyiwa underscored that the initiative represents more than technological progress, it’s a step toward digital sovereignty and inclusion. By hosting AI infrastructure on African soil, Cassava aims to ensure that Africa doesn’t just consume AI tools but builds and trains its own models based on local data and realities.

“If you’re a mobile operator, we can start today,” Masiyiwa said. “Your customers can download the Gemini app, access it for six months free, and use it to educate their children and learn about AI. This is how Africa begins to participate meaningfully in the AI revolution.”

With partnerships spanning Google, Accenture, Nvidia, and Anthropic, Cassava Technologies is positioning Africa as a key player in the global AI landscape, a move that could redefine how the continent innovates, educates, and competes in the digital economy.