Category: Africa

Source: APO – Report:

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.

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.

– on behalf of Cassava Technologies.

About Cassava Technologies:
Cassava Technologies is a global technology leader of African heritage, providing a vertically integrated ecosystem of digital services and infrastructure that enables digital transformation. Headquartered in the UK, Cassava has a presence across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the United States of America. Through its business units, namely, Cassava AI, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Liquid C2, Africa Data Centres, and Sasai Fintech, the company provides its customers with products and services in 94 countries. These solutions drive the company’s ambition of establishing itself as a leading global technology company of African heritage. https://www.CassavaTechnologies.com

Source: APO – Report:

Artificial intelligence can create enormous advantages for organisations and has become an important competitive consideration. But during 2025, AI hype started showing cracks as many companies reported failed pilots and underwhelming results.

Yet, the organisations that got it right experienced incredible improvements to their productivity. Their secret? Focus on people.

“Technology always depends on how people use it, and that remains true with artificial intelligence. But what many don’t realise is how much more it matters. Most AI projects fail because there isn’t enough human input and enablement,” says Heinrich Swanepoel, Head of Business Development at Deel Local Payroll, powered by PaySpace.

Why people matter for AI

AI isn’t taking many jobs from people. Even though there is a parallel trend between AI hype and workforce reductions, AI is often a scapegoat for other factors causing layoffs, such as economic strain and over-hiring. In fact, less than 5% of job cuts in the US since 2023 are directly because of AI (https://apo-opa.co/4lxwW14).

Casting AI against humans creates a skewed perspective that one should replace the other, which is often a fallacy that leads to expensive rehires (https://apo-opa.co/4cOonwJ). It also blinds leaders to the fact that successful AI stems from empowering and upskilling people. Overlook human capital, and you undermine AI’s true potential.

Digital progress hinges on the hierarchy of ‘people, process, and technology’. AI adoption leans even more heavily into the realm of people than other technologies, and its success depends heavily on HR involvement.

“AI isn’t an IT transformation. It’s an organisational redesign that HR must drive if businesses are to unlock AI’s full strategic potential,” wrote EY’s AI Client Strategy Leader, Catriona Campbell, in a Linkedin post (https://apo-opa.co/4bv1JY1). “The organisations that build solid foundations will create smarter systems and stronger, more adaptive workforces.”

What makes AI work in businesses?

The most successful AI projects currently focus on improving the responsibilities of high-value individuals. For example, using AI to automate aspects of Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-fraud verification is helping save considerable time. In those cases, technical teams find it easy to liaise directly with the affected professionals and use their input.

But when AI adoption needs to be more widespread—for example, to help service agents quickly grasp a customer’s context; aid managers with reliable meeting summaries and actions; and give salespeople more time with prospects—the wheels come off. Deployment strategies underestimate the scope of AI’s impact, leading to poor adoption and major skill gaps. Employees know this, with over half saying that enhanced training should be the top priority to improve AI outcomes (https://apo-opa.co/4cUTVRB).

An AI strategy also fails when it doesn’t resonate with a company’s people and processes. That context should come from HR, the custodian of workforce strategy and talent management.

“Without understanding your workforce, you’ll be applying AI in the dark and hoping something sticks. But with that understanding, you’ll know where to target your efforts. That is especially important at the start of AI adoption when you need some wins to prove the investment is worthwhile,” says Swanepoel.

Enabling HR to enable AI

Successful AI projects reveal several tactics that support the human-centric approach:

• Provide HR with modern human resource platform software that improves data-gathering, process design, and visibility for planning and measurement.
• Develop continuous HR insights over annual reviews, giving companies more movement space and flexibility around AI strategies.
• Conduct a skills audit to highlight how different people and departments could benefit from AI services.
• Support AI skills development, specifically general AI literacy, policies, and a culture of safety where employees can question and confidently own AI output.
• Measure where AI adds value, how it affects people, and what the balance should be between people and AI in a specific process or situation.

These answers will also inform other considerations such as AI governance, technical investments, and finding clear value in a sea of hype. It all starts with understanding your workforce: who they are, what they do, and what AI can do for them.

“AI is about people. It either works with them or replaces something they do. In either case, the path to AI success starts by understanding your people and empowering HR to give you that understanding,” says Swanepoel. “If your HR people cannot do this because they have old systems and outdated processes, most of your AI efforts are on shaky ground. But focus on your people, and your AI vision will become much clearer.”

– on behalf of Deel Local Payroll, powered by PaySpace.

For media queries please contact:
Talitha Utton
talitha@innocomm.co.za

About Deel Local Payroll:
Deel Local Payroll, powered by PaySpace, revolutionises payroll management. It offers online, multi-country payroll and HR management for businesses from start-ups through to enterprise in over 40 African countries, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Brazil.

Cloud-native, Deel Local Payroll, is scalable, configurable, highly secure, and easy-to-use—delivering anytime, anywhere access. It features payroll automation, self-service features, automatic legislation and feature updates, customised reporting, and more.

Since 2024, Deel Local Payroll has been part of Deel, operating as an independent subsidiary, serving its customers through the PaySpace platform.

Source: APO – Report:

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Part of its efforts to strengthen its management and governance tools, RAAF has taken another significant step forward with the development of a draft Climate and Gender Sensitive Environmental and Social Management System. The document was technically reviewed at a workshop held on 12 and 13 March 2026 in Aného, Togo.

In the face of growing climate challenges, the new framework ensures that all agricultural projects led by RAAF shall strictly respect local, national and cross-border ecosystems. At the heart of the system, particular attention was given to the inclusion of women and young people, the pillars of food security in West Africa but often the most vulnerable to environmental and social risks.

One of the main pillars of the system is the strengthening of the Grief Relief Mechanism to make it more robust. The system provides local communities with direct and transparent channels to report any negative impacts, thereby ensuring more sustainable project management. It addresses, amongst other things, issues relating to environmental and social assessment procedures for projects, action plans, organizational capacity, awareness-raising, training as well as stakeholder engagement and continuous sharing of information.

To recall, the importance of the RAAF environmental and social management system is well established. Among other things, it helps to ensure:

• regulatory compliance,
• integration of environmental and social considerations,
• improved project sustainability,
• enhanced stakeholder engagement,
• proactive risk management,
• monitoring and evaluation of impacts, and
• increased trust and legitimacy.

With the adoption of the ESMS, RAAF aligns its procedures with global best practices, notably those of international institutions. The alignment strengthens the Agency’s credibility and its ability to mobilize international funding to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The framework is not a mere formality. It is a contract of trust between RAAF and rural communities,” the RAAF Executive Director, Mr. Konlani Kanfitin, said at the opening ceremony. Speaking after Director Konlani, the Director of Environment at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Bernard Koffi, emphasized the importance of the framework, a framework fully compliant with Regulation C/REG.16/12/13 on environmental and social assessment within ECOWAS, adopted in December 2023 and aimed at harmonizing national environmental assessment procedures among Member States and reviewing cross-border environmental and social impact assessments, in addition to national review procedures.

Participants included government technical experts, national environmental assessment bodies and Green Climate Fund focal points, experts from ministries of Environment from ECOWAS Member States, RAAF project coordinators, experts from other ECOWAS agencies and directorates, regional farmers’ organizations and resource persons.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO – Report:

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When cholera erupted in Lorikowo West Village on July 2, 2025, Amuru District once again found itself confronting a familiar and exhausting pattern. Positioned along the porous Uganda–South Sudan border and surrounded by refugee-hosting districts such as Lamwo and Adjumani, Amuru has long been vulnerable to emerging and re-emerging disease outbreaks. 

In 2025 alone, the district suffered three separate outbreaks, mpox, cholera and measles, each testing the limits of an already strained health system.

These recurring emergencies came at a time when global health funding is shrinking. Amuru, like many districts in Uganda, has heavily depended on external support from partners. By mid-2025, however, reduced financing made it increasingly difficult for the district to sustain strong epidemic preparedness, maintain surveillance, or deliver essential health system-strengthening interventions.

But amid the confusion and resource shortages that marked the early days of the cholera outbreak, an unexpected solution emerged from within the community itself.

A group of retired public health experts, sons of the soil with decades of national and international experience, approached the WHO Field Coordinator for Northern Uganda with an offer to help. They requested only one thing: permission to serve.
After consultations with the Resident District Commissioner, who chairs the District Task Force, and with the leadership of the Acholi Regional Public Health Emergency Operation Center, the volunteers were cleared to join the response. Their return to the frontlines was met with relief, gratitude, and renewed hope.

Dr Jackson Amone, former Commissioner for Clinical Services at the Ministry of Health and a veteran of multiple Ebola responses across Africa, described their motivation simply: “We wanted to give back to the community that fed, educated and nurtured us.” His words carried weight not just for what they meant, but for who he was, a respected Acholi son returning home in a moment of need.

For another volunteer, Dr Bob Malley Omaya, the decision was deeply personal. “I was born, raised and studied in Atiak, only six kilometres from the cholera epicentre at Elegu border. This is my community; I don’t need money to serve them,” he said, reflecting on the end of his professional contract with WHO Uganda due to funding constraints. “Maybe this is the time God wants me to serve them.”

The team of retirees offered their expertise across surveillance, laboratory support, coordination and leadership, case management, infection prevention and control, water supply, sanitation, hygiene, risk communication and community engagement. Their intervention was critical. Through their guidance, mentorship, and hands-on support, the cholera outbreak was contained swiftly and remarkably without a single fatality.

Their presence reinvigorated frontline health workers, many of whom had been overwhelmed by the relentless pace of outbreaks and chronic under-resourcing. At Bibia Health Centre III, one of the major cholera treatment hubs, the arrival of the volunteers transformed the mood entirely.

“I was fatigued as the Head of Case Management because the challenges were overwhelming,” recalled Milton Okello. “But when Dr Amone came, I got fired up like I was possessed with the Holy Spirit. His warmth and fatherly advice changed the attitude of the whole team positively.”

Beyond managing the immediate outbreak, the volunteers helped strengthen coordination, leadership and governance within the district’s Rapid Response Team. Their involvement demonstrated a powerful and sustainable model for boosting local health security by tapping the skills and goodwill of retired professionals who remain committed to their communities.

The experience in Amuru provides important lessons for the Government of Uganda and other low  and middle-income countries. The Ministry of Health could develop a database of retired health workers willing to serve in emergencies, ensuring that local expertise is quickly mobilized when needed. Other ministries and agencies could adopt similar approaches to bolster service delivery and address broader social determinants of health.

As the global funding landscape continues to shift, Amuru District’s story illustrates a compelling truth: resilience can grow from within. By harnessing the passion and knowledge of experienced local professionals, communities can protect themselves, strengthen health systems, and safeguard futures, even in the face of uncertainty.

– on behalf of World Health Organization – Uganda.