03/07/2025
Zimbabwe to Host Africa’s Pioneer AI Factory with Global Tech Backing.
Addis Ababa, July 03/2025 (ABN)
Zimbabwe’s wealthiest businessman, Strive Masiyiwa, has joined forces with global tech entrepreneur and the world’s 10th richest man, Elon Musk, to launch Africa’s first artificial intelligence (AI) factory a groundbreaking initiative poised to transform the continent’s digital economy and technological future.
Announced at the Africa Tech Future Summit, the collaboration marks a significant step toward localizing advanced technology development in Africa. The AI factory will be headquartered in Zimbabwe, with satellite campuses planned across Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. The initiative aims to build Africa-centric large language models (LLMs), support smart agriculture, health diagnostics, fintech solutions, and provide cutting-edge digital infrastructure that empowers African innovators.
Strive Masiyiwa, founder of Econet Group and a long-time advocate for digital inclusion in Africa, stated that the continent must actively build its technological future rather than wait to inherit it. “We must stop waiting for the Fourth Industrial Revolution to come to us we must build it right here on African soil,” Masiyiwa emphasized. Elon Musk echoed this sentiment, noting Africa’s rich linguistic, cultural, and demographic diversity as essential assets in the global development of ethical and inclusive AI systems.
With a planned initial investment of $500 million, partially funded by the Masiyiwa Foundation and X.AI Ventures, the project is expected to break ground in early 2026. It has already received preliminary backing from the African Development Bank, the African Union Commission, and the Smart Africa Alliance, all of which see the initiative as aligning with the goals of Agenda 2063 Africa’s long-term vision for transformation and sustainable development.
Unlike previous models of tech deployment in Africa that often involved foreign-led solutions, the AI factory will be built and operated by African engineers, researchers, and data scientists. It is designed to retain local data sovereignty while fostering global collaboration. The factory will also include a dedicated AI skills development center aimed at training thousands of African youth in machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics, creating a pipeline of homegrown AI talent.
Industry observers hail the initiative as a defining moment in Africa’s digital evolution. By focusing on strategic investment in intellectual capital rather than solely on infrastructure or extractive industries, the Masiyiwa–Musk partnership signals a paradigm shift in how global tech leaders engage with the continent.
This AI factory is not just a facility it is a declaration that Africa is ready to shape, not just consume, the future of artificial intelligence. It represents a bold new chapter in Africa’s journey toward digital sovereignty, innovation-led growth, and technological leadership on the world stage.
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