Officials from Cassava Technologies and Google Cloud celebrated the occasion
Liquid C2, a unit of Cassava Technologies, has partnered with Google Cloud to establish Africa's first Partner Experience Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking a significant step in the development of the continent's digital infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem.
The facility is designed to accelerate the commercial adoption of AI and cloud solutions by enabling partners to develop, test and deploy enterprise-grade applications tailored for African markets.
The move comes as demand for digital transformation solutions is gaining momentum across the continent, driven by enterprise digitalisation, fintech expansion and the need for data-driven operational efficiency.
Hardy Pemhiwa, president and CEO of Cassava Technologies, said the initiative will help make AI more accessible across the continent.
“This is the first cloud and AI experience center of its kind – not just in South Africa, but on the African continent,” he said. “Customers can bring their challenges, and we work together to develop solutions in real time.”
Strive Masiyiwa, founder and executive chairman of Cassava Technologies, said infrastructure investment will be key to unlocking AI-led growth.
“AI will not evolve through conversation alone. It requires investment in infrastructure and practical implementation,” he said.
Masiyiwa said the launch of the Partner Experience Center is part of a broader expansion in Cassava's AI infrastructure, which also includes a large-scale AI data processing facility in Cape Town and plans for additional rollouts in Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt.
Industry analysts see such investments as key to localizing cloud services and reducing reliance on offshore infrastructure, a major barrier for African enterprises.
The center provides access to advanced tools such as Google's Gemini AI platform, allowing partners to prototype and scale solutions in sectors including financial services, healthcare and retail.
It also serves as a pipeline to support skills development, certification, and expand the pool of cloud and AI experts – a segment that is currently in short supply in African markets.
Ziad Suleiman, senior vice president of Cassava Technologies, said the model integrates infrastructure, skills and delivery.
“This enables us to capture value in the digital ecosystem while reducing barriers for enterprises adopting advanced technologies,” he said.
Tara Brady, president of Google Cloud Europe, Middle East and Africa, said the partnership will help unlock new economic activity through technology-led innovation.
The initiative is structured around partner enablement, AI innovation and workforce development, with expected impacts including job creation and increased competitiveness for African companies.
For Cassava, the development reinforces its strategy to evolve from a connectivity provider to a fully integrated digital services player, as competition in Africa's cloud and data infrastructure market intensifies.