Hi Ayodele here,

This week’s updates show how Africa is building the infrastructure and systems needed to power AI at scale. Cassava has launched the continent’s first AI Factory in South Africa, MTN is investing in AI-ready data centers in Nigeria and South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire is using AI to improve public services. Together, these moves highlight a shift toward local capacity, stronger infrastructure, and real-world deployment.

Let us get into it. In this edition:

• Cassava launches Africa’s first AI Factory in South Africa

• MTN to build AI-ready data centers in Nigeria and South Africa

• Côte d’Ivoire deploys AI assistant to Transform Public Services

Around Africa

Cassava launches Africa’s first AI Factory in South Africa

Cassava Technologies has officially launched its first AI Factory in South Africa, a specialized high-performance computing hub designed specifically for generative AI workloads. This facility provides the massive processing power required for local startups and enterprises to train large-scale models without relying on overseas data centers.

The infrastructure is powered by the latest GPU technology, marking a shift from traditional data storage to active AI manufacturing. Cassava plans to rapidly scale this model across the continent, with several more factories slated for key African tech hubs. By localizing the engine room of AI, they are significantly lowering the latency and cost barriers for African developers. This move is a direct play to secure Africa’s spot in the global AI supply chain.

Why it matters 
Most AI innovation in Africa is currently rented from the US or Europe, which is expensive and slow. By building an AI Factory on home soil, Cassava is giving local builders the raw horsepower they need to compete globally. It transforms the continent from a consumer of AI tools into a producer of AI intelligence.

MTN to build AI-ready data centers in Nigeria and South Africa

As part of its Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN Group is prioritizing South Africa and Nigeria for a new wave of AI-enabled data centers. These facilities are being redesigned to handle the unique cooling and power demands of AI hardware, ensuring they can support the next generation of digital services. MTN aims to use these hubs to power everything from automated network management to advanced mobile money features for its millions of users.

The focus on Nigeria and South Africa reflects the massive data demand in the continent’s two largest economies. This infrastructure push is designed to turn MTN into a "Platform as a Service" provider for other businesses looking to integrate AI. By owning the data centers, MTN secures its role as the backbone of Africa’s digital future.

Why it matters 

AI doesn't live in the cloud; it lives in a building with a lot of power and cooling. By planting these hubs in Nigeria and South Africa, MTN is building the physical foundation needed for a truly Smart Africa. This ensures that the most populated markets on the continent have the local infrastructure to support high-speed, AI-driven economies.

Côte d’Ivoire deploys AI assistant to Transform Public Services

The government of Côte d'Ivoire has introduced EMY-101, a sophisticated AI chatbot designed to simplify how citizens interact with public institutions. EMY-101 acts as a 24/7 digital concierge, helping users navigate everything from tax payments to healthcare registrations through a simple chat interface.

The bot is trained on local administrative laws and procedures to provide accurate, real-time guidance to the public. This initiative is a core part of the country’s Digital Ivoirian program, aimed at reducing bureaucracy and increasing government transparency. By automating routine inquiries, the government hopes to free up human staff for more complex problem-solving. It represents one of the most practical applications of GovTech seen in West Africa to date.

Why it matters 

Public service in many regions is often slowed down by paperwork and long queues. EMY-101 bypasses the red tape, putting government services directly into the pockets of every citizen with a smartphone. It’s a blueprint for how AI can make the state more accessible, efficient, and less intimidating for the average person.

Around the world

Gamma Launches AI Image Tools to Challenge Canva and Adobe

Gamma is moving beyond slide decks by integrating a suite of sophisticated AI image generation and editing tools directly into its platform. This update allows users to generate custom, high-fidelity visuals that match the specific style and branding of their presentations in seconds. By removing the need to jump between external stock sites or Photoshop, Gamma is positioning itself as a vertically integrated design powerhouse. The new tools also feature Style Transfer, letting you apply the aesthetic of one image across an entire project for visual consistency.

NVIDIA’s OpenClaw Integration Fixes AI’s Massive Security Gap

NVIDIA has unveiled a specialized version of the OpenClaw framework designed to solve one of the biggest hurdles in enterprise AI: data leakage. This new security layer creates a hardened environment for autonomous agents, ensuring they can access sensitive internal data without the risk of that information being used to train public models. By providing a secure sandbox for AI execution, NVIDIA is making it possible for cautious industries like finance and defense to finally deploy agentic workflows.

Google Labs Debuts "Stitch" for Automated UI Design

Google Labs has officially pulled the curtain back on "Stitch," an experimental AI tool that can sew together entire user interfaces from a few simple text commands. Unlike basic template builders, Stitch understands the underlying logic of a product and generates a cohesive design system, including buttons, menus, and layouts that are accessibility-compliant. It’s designed to bridge the gap between a designer's vision and a developer's code, effectively automating the tedious parts of the front-end handoff.

Around the Web - Top Picks

• The Rise of the Digital Employee: A new deep dive from The Telegraph explores how AI is moving from a novelty tool to a core member of the workforce. The report highlights how companies are no longer just using AI to write emails, but are deploying "digital twins" of their best employees to handle everything from complex client negotiations to 24/7 technical support. Read the full article: The Rise of the Digital Employee

• Is Claude Code the End of Traditional IDEs? AI researcher Ruben Hassid breaks down why Anthropic’s Claude Code is the most aggressive move yet toward fully autonomous programming. Unlike simple autocomplete tools, this is a terminal-based agent that can actually see your entire codebase, run its own tests, and fix bugs without you having to point it to the right file. Read the full article: Is Claude Code the End of Traditional IDEs?

Seen This?

An AI agent at Meta tried to be helpful this week but accidentally triggered an internal data breach.

Upcoming African AI Events

GITEX Africa 2026 
Date: April 7–9, 2026
Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Theme: Africa's largest tech and startup event, covering AI, cybersecurity, fintech, cloud, and digital infrastructure. Over 55,000 attendees expected from across the continent and beyond.

AI Everything Kenya x GITEX Kenya
Date: May 19–21, 2026
Location: Nairobi, KenyaTast Africa's largest AI and tech event, powered by GITEX, bringing together enterprises, startups, policymakers, and governments with a focus on Kenya's AI-driven economic transformation and digital infrastructure growth.
Link:  AI Everything Kenya x GITEX Kenya  

Deep Learning IndabaX Uganda 2026
Dates: March 23–27, 2026
Location: Silver Springs Hotel, Kampala, Uganda

Theme: Building a Responsible AI Ecosystem for Sustainable Innovation. This 5-day intensive event features a "Spring School" on Agent-Based Modeling, tutorials on LLMs, and research presentations aimed at fostering local impact through AI

Deep Learning IndabaX Nigeria 2026
Dates: May 11–14, 2026
Location: University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Theme: Strengthening the Nigerian AI ecosystem through grassroots knowledge sharing. This event focuses on deep learning research, practical workshops on Large Language Models (LLMs), and fostering collaboration among students, researchers, and industry professionals across West Africa.

AI Job Opportunities

• NIVA Health - Full Stack AI Engineer, South Africa

• Blue Pearl HQ - Azure Data Engineer, South Africa

• Discovery Limited - Data Scientist, South Africa

• Partners in Heath - Data Scientist, Rwanda

• Jhpiego - Data Analyst, Nigeria

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