HARARE – The World Bank Group has enlisted African technology company Cassava Technologies and US chipmaker NVIDIA as knowledge partners in a new artificial intelligence infrastructure initiative aimed at lowering computing costs and accelerating digital transformation across developing economies.
The initiative forms part of the World Bank’s first comprehensive digital strategy, launched last week, which seeks to expand internet connectivity, reduce technology costs and help developing countries build the infrastructure needed to participate in the rapidly expanding AI economy.
The AI Infrastructure and Readiness Initiative will initially target Africa and Latin America, offering governments and businesses access to shared, pay-as-you-go graphics processing unit (GPU) computing capacity rather than requiring countries to invest heavily in standalone national data centres.
For Cassava Technologies, founded by Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, the partnership places the pan-African technology group within a major international effort to address one of the biggest obstacles to AI adoption in emerging markets: the high cost of computing infrastructure.
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said digital transformation could become a significant driver of employment and productivity, provided developing economies overcome persistent barriers to connectivity, affordability and technological skills.
“Digital technology can help countries create jobs and make scarce resources go further,” Banga said, emphasising the importance of reliable networks, affordable devices and practical AI applications.
The strategy comes as developing economies confront mounting employment pressures. According to the World Bank, approximately 1.2 billion young people will enter working age over the next 10 to 15 years, while their economies are projected to generate only 420 million jobs.
The digital divide remains substantial. More than two billion people were offline globally in 2025, with internet usage reaching just 23 percent in low-income countries compared with 94 percent in wealthy economies.
Technology analysts say the initiative could help African economies move beyond basic telecommunications infrastructure towards developing commercially viable AI applications.
However, they caution that access to computing capacity alone will not guarantee technological transformation without dependable electricity, affordable broadband, skilled workers and investment in locally relevant software.
For Zimbabwe, the programme presents potential opportunities in agriculture, financial services, healthcare and manufacturing, where AI-powered systems could improve productivity and reduce operating costs.
The World Bank is particularly promoting what it calls small AI — relatively affordable artificial intelligence applications designed to solve specific problems, including identifying crop diseases, supporting healthcare workers and improving inventory management for small businesses.
Such applications could prove more practical for African economies than pursuing expensive, large-scale AI models requiring substantial computing resources and electricity.
Cassava’s involvement also highlights the growing importance of African-owned digital infrastructure providers in international technology investment strategies, particularly as demand for cloud computing, data processing and AI services accelerates.
The World Bank said its broader strategy would combine development financing, private investment, policy support and financial guarantees to encourage digital infrastructure development while strengthening cybersecurity, data protection and digital skills.
Although the initiative identifies Cassava Technologies and NVIDIA as knowledge partners, the announcement does not specify investment commitments, project locations or funding allocations for Zimbabwe.
Its commercial significance will therefore depend on whether the proposed infrastructure model translates into affordable computing services, new investment and measurable employment opportunities.
For African economies seeking a greater share of the global technology industry, the challenge is increasingly shifting from simply connecting people to the internet towards ensuring that businesses and workers can participate meaningfully in the artificial intelligence economy.
