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Cassava scales African Artificial Intelligence (AI) Infrastructure with NVIDIA-Powered AI Factories to accelerate sovereign data capabilities

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Cassava

Cassava Technologies (https://www.CassavaTechnologies.com), a global technology leader of African heritage, is deploying its AI Factory, powered by NVIDIA AI platform, in South Africa, with plans to scale to Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco.

 

“For Cassava, building Africa’s AI ecosystem is an act of empowerment, not just a technological milestone. As the continent’s first NVIDIA Cloud Partner, we are ensuring that African businesses aren’t just consumers of global tech—they are the architects of it,” said Ahmed El Beheiry, Group COO and Group Chief Technology & AI Officer, Cassava Technologies. “Our goal is to give Africa the infrastructure to write its own future, using its own languages – starting with Swahili, then expanding to languages such as Zulu and Afrikaans to better serve local users and markets – and data to build a digital legacy on its own terms”.

With the launch of Cassava AI Multi-Model Exchange (CAIMEx) (http://apo-opa.co/4rznn3n) in 2025, Cassava designed a first-of-its-kind platform to make the world’s leading AI tools and large language models (LLMs) easily accessible to African developers can tap into CAIMEx to build, fine-tune, and deploy AI applications using Cassava’s integrated tool, powered with NVIDIA Blueprints, Models, and NIM microservices. The company recently launched Cassava Autonomous Network (http://apo-opa.co/3PI1128), a blueprint that runs on the CAIMEx platform and is designed to significantly improve network performance across Africa, and is available for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to leverage.

The localised deployment of high-performance computing marks a turning point for the continent. By offering GPUaaS, AIaaS/APIs, Cassava is removing traditional barriers to entry, providing access to local compute. With this first milestone, Cassava will ensure that Africa has its own production of intelligence – sovereign AI factories keep intelligence securely within borders, tune models to local languages and cultures, and cultivate local jobs, startups, and economic growth.

For Cassava, building Africa’s AI ecosystem is an act of empowerment, not just a technological milestone

This offering is enabling African enterprises and governments to innovate independently. This democratisation of technology empowers African organisations across the public sector, telecom, financial services, insurance, healthcare, mining, oil and gas, and retail not only to keep pace with the global AI race, but also to lead it.

Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader company of African heritage, is transforming Africa’s role in the global AI landscape from a passive participant into a primary creator. By providing world-class compute capacity, the company is fulfilling its core mission: building a digitally inclusive future where every African has the tools to innovate and succeed.

Positive input from partners and customers on the launch of the Cassava AI Factory

“Africa is poised to leapfrog traditional infrastructure, and with this sovereign AI cloud, Cassava is delivering the ultimate engine for digital transformation, allowing businesses and governments to harness powerful AI use cases while ensuring that data stays on the continent,” said Haseeb Budhani, CEO of Rafay Systems. “This isn’t just about infrastructure; it’s about democratising innovation, fostering local talent, and building trusted, resilient AI ecosystems that drive real economic growth across the continent, putting African enterprises in control of their destiny.”

“The launch of the first Cassava AI Factory in the country and its expansion across the continent is a major milestone toward Africa’s digital sovereignty. Keeping data within African borders enables us to develop specialised models for healthcare, energy, and agriculture tailored to our unique contexts. The Cassava AI Factory in South Africa enables the CSIR to extend partnership with industry to accelerate the uptake of artificial intelligence within the broader South African research communities,” said Dr H. Sithole, Center Manager of National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure (NICIS) at the CSIR.

“Zindi is thrilled to partner with Cassava Technologies to unlock AI compute in Africa, ensuring that the continent’s data does not have to leave its shores. Through Cassava AI Factory, powered by NVIDIA accelerated computing platforms, Cassava is helping the Zindi developer community build best-of-breed AI solutions to their own local problems. Our joint efforts to nurture talent will do more than just expose innovation; we are investing in the next generation of AI talent and creating the high-tech skills and jobs that will position Africa to lead in the global AI race,” said Celina Lee, Zindi CEO and Co-Founder.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cassava Technologies.

 

Tech

Huawei’s Bangkok Launch Ignites All-Scenario Intelligence, Opening a New Chapter of Smart Life

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BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 May 2026 – On May 7, 2026, Huawei held the “Now Is Your Spark” global product launch in Bangkok, Thailand, where they officially unveiled the HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max, HUAWEI WATCH FIT 5 Series, HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition, and other innovative products. With all-scenario technology, these devices serve as a genuine extension for global users to explore the world and express themselves.

An ultra-slim flagship tablet setting new benchmarks in mobile productivity

Huawei globally debuted the HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max at this launch. Combining refined design, a premium display, PC-level productivity, and a full suite of creative tools, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max provides flagship tablet performance in a remarkably thin and light form factor. At 499g and measuring a mere 4.7 mm thick, even the exclusive PaperMatte Edition weighs just 509g, HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max is the thinnest and lightest tablet among the 13-inch+ tablet.

Smart wearables refreshed for the next generation

Huawei has introduced a fresh lineup of smart wearables tailored for the young generation. The HUAWEI WATCH FIT 5 Series retains its iconic square design, now enhanced with a sleek, vibrant aesthetic. It guides users through engaging and accessible mini-workouts, encouraging a more active lifestyle. The series also supports a wide range of competitive sports, including cycling, golf, trail running, and tennis. With advanced tracking, analysis, and guidance features, it caters to diverse needs, from daily fitness routines to competitive sport.

Debuting at this event, the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition is a professional running watch that embodies the look and feel of marathon racing. It features a new single running ability index (RAI) and a professional Training Camp Dashboard, giving runners deeper data insights to train smarter and race harder.

Huawei partnered with renowned jewelry designer Francesca Amfitheatrof to launch the HUAWEI WATCH ULTIMATE DESIGN Spring Edition. Inspired by the blooming beauty of spring, this design features 99 natural diamonds and diamond-cut sapphire glass, a wearable celebration of feminine strength and vitality.

Huawei has also unveiled new premium flagship kids watches: the HUAWEI WATCH KIDS X1 Series. Equipped with a front and rear high-definition camera setup, it features a 110° ultra-wide-angle front camera and a 1.82-inch AMOLED screen, offering a larger display and broader field of view. The device also includes a detachable and rotatable device body and AR fun feature, enabling kids to capture every precious moment of their explorations.

A new phone experience for the diverse needs of young users

Huawei officially launched the HUAWEI nova 15 Max, redefining the experience for a generation that plays hard and shoots sharp. Equipped with a 50 MP RYYB Ultra Vision Camera, it delivers true-to-life colors even in low light or backlit conditions. The 8,500 mAh Super Battery powers all-day use, eliminating battery anxiety. The Extra-Durable Body is drop-resistant, so everyday bumps are no longer a worry. Combined with a Vivid OLED Screen and Symmetrical Stereo Dual Speakers, an immersive audio-visual experience is always within reach. From photography to battery life, and from durability to audio-visuals, the HUAWEI nova 15 Max continuously empowers every passion.

From flagship tablets to smartwatches designed for children, Huawei’s connected device ecosystem continues to expand its presence in the daily lives of users around the world. Huawei remains committed to technology that is not only useful, but genuinely enriching, technology that ignites inspiration. Huawei looks forward to continued collaboration with users around the world, helping people live and work better, wherever they are.

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AI-powered measurement enables faster, more responsive decisions but poses transparency and control risks

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WARC releases The Future of Measurement 2026, exploring emerging trends in media and creative measurement

7 May 2026 – As marketing measurement continues to evolve, WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, has today released The Future of Measurement 2026, a report that explores the latest emerging trends in media and creative measurement. It focuses on three key areas: the shift to outcomes measurement; how AI is moving measurement upstream; and the rise of creative intelligence.

Paul Stringer, Managing Editor Research and Insights, WARC, says: “Marketing measurement is no longer just about understanding what happened, but enabling better decisions about what to do next. Traditional approaches – based on attribution, proxy metrics, and post-hoc reporting – are becoming less relevant. Rapid advances in AI are enabling a more dynamic, continuous optimisation of both media and creative. However, the foundational challenges of transparency, governance, and data quality need to be addressed.

“This report explores the key trends shaping this new era of marketing measurement highlighting the fundamental questions and decisions that marketers need to act on.”

Key trends set to shape the measurement landscape over the next 12 months are:

Outcomes measurement gathers pace

Media is increasingly bought against outcomes, driven by greater access to data, digital platforms, and ROI pressures. But the ability to measure and optimise against them is developing unevenly across the ecosystem.

Digital platforms are embedding real-time, outcome-based optimisation directly into their advertising systems, while legacy media are still evolving from an audience-based measurement towards proving their impact using experiments and advanced modelling techniques. The result is a two-speed measurement landscape converging on the same goal: incremental growth.

With no single system providing a complete picture, and a lack of trust and transparency in data and attribution, particularly within digital platforms, marketers are advised to make independent validations and take a cross-platform approach that combine multiple data sources and insights to support better marketing investment decisions.

AI moves measurement upstream

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is primarily being used in measurement to automate data collection, cleaning and normalisation before human interpretation. It can also significantly increase the frequency of testing and modelling for advertisers.

AI promises to move marketing measurement upstream, from a reporting output into ‘decision system’ that supports more dynamic planning and optimisation.

Marketers are rightfully excited about its potential. However, without rigorous, independent validation, AI-driven measurement risks becoming a black box for budget allocation, producing outputs that may appear credible but are not transparent or reliably grounded in true causal signals.

The rise of creative intelligence

Creative quality is a key driver of advertising effectiveness, yet it remains undervalued and undermeasured by marketers making it harder to justify investment. This is changing thanks to advances in AI and machine learning.

Marketers are building creative intelligence capabilities, an integrated system that allows them to measure and optimise creative at scale. This enables them to forecast asset performance ahead of launch, continuously optimise creative assets in real time for engagement and effectiveness, and measure the true impact of creative on commercial outcomes.

However, creative intelligence faces several barriers to adoption, such as poor data quality and a lack of resources. It also demands a closer integration across people, processes and technology – particularly creative and media.

Marketers are advised to unify disciplines and workflows so creative and media work as one operating system. Investing in platforms that support end-to-end creative activation, optimisation, and measurement will be essential. Piloting is expected to begin with social channels, where creative data is easily accessible and closely linked to performance.

The Future of Measurement 2026 report is available to WARC subscribers. A WARC podcast will be available from 12 May.

The insights for The Future of Measurement report are based on a combination of exclusive data from WARC and external research studies and reports. It is part of WARC Strategy’s Evolution of Marketing, series of in-depth forward-looking reports on the marketing discipline through evidence-based insights and emerging trends, technologies, and other drivers of change.

 

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Enlit Africa 2026 keynote programme tackles Artificial Intelligence (AI) reality, grid constraints and the energy–water nexus

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Taking place on 19–21 May 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Enlit Africa convenes stakeholders from across the electricity value chain and the water ecosystem

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Enlit Africa 2026 returns to Cape Town with a focused opening sequence built for decision-makers who need practical clarity, not theory: an early-morning investment-led breakfast followed by two keynote anchors that tackle delivery realities in Africa’s power, energy and water systems.

 

Taking place on 19–21 May 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Enlit Africa convenes stakeholders from across the electricity value chain and the water ecosystem. The programme is anchored by the 2026 theme: Compounding impact: small changes, outsized outcomes – a deliberate focus on the operational decisions, governance shifts and financing mechanisms that translate intent into measurable system performance.

19 May: Project & Investment Network Business Breakfast (07:00–09:30)

The week starts with the Project & Investment Network Business Breakfast, featuring keynote commentary from Bruce Whitfield followed by a fireside chat between Bruce Whitfield and Goolam Ballim (Chief Economist and Head of Research, Standard Bank Group).

The breakfast is designed for participants focused on bankability, procurement confidence and the practical steps that move projects from intent to execution. It unpacks what financiers are actually pricing, what evidence strengthens confidence in delivery, which behaviours and signals measurably improve fundability and why Africa is more geopolitically relevant than ever before.

19 May: Keynote 1 – Africa in the AI Age (10:30–12:55)

The first keynote anchor, Africa in the AI Age, is hosted by Enkromelle Andrew (Master of Ceremonies) and opens with a welcome from Chanelle Hingston (Group Director, Power, Energy & Water, VUKA Group).

A ministerial address by the Honourable Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Electricity and Energy is followed by a focus on digital power, storage and AI, with a keynote contribution from David Sun (Vice President and CEO of Electric Power Digitalisation Business, Huawei).

The keynote then moves into a panel discussion on the role of AI and digital technologies in Africa’s energy evolution, with panellists including Carol Koech (CEO, GEAPP). The morning concludes with an in-conversation session moderated by James Mackay (CEO, Energy Council of South Africa) with senior business leaders including Dan Marokane (Group Chief Executive, Eskom), and leaders in industry.

20 May: Keynote 2 – How coordinated energy and water planning could change African resilience (09:30–12:00)

The second keynote anchor turns to a reality shaping resilience across the continent: energy security and water security are increasingly inseparable but planning and funding remain fragmented.

Under the guidance of MC Enkromelle Andrew, the session includes a perspective on the water–energy nexus from Sabine Dall’Omo (CEO, Siemens South Africa which convenes a high-level panel on taking water–energy coordination beyond theory, with panellists including Darshana Myronidis (Global Group Director of Sustainability, Virgin Group), Deerosh Maharaj (Executive Head: Energy, Infrastructure & Mining, Standard Bank Business & Commercial Banking), Sabine Dall’Omo (CEO, Siemens South Africa), and JP van der Merwe (Chief Foreign Direct Investment Officer, Wesgro).

Across the Business Breakfast and both keynote anchors, Enlit Africa 2026 is designed to deliver high-signal discussions focused on delivery, governance and the actions that improve system outcomes at pace.

Enlit Africa, created by VUKA Group, will take place on 19–21 May 2026 at the CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa. The full programme and registration information are available at: www.Enlit-Africa.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

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