Cassava Technologies, a leading African technology powerhouse, and AXON Networks, a global leader in intelligent network platforms, have announced a strategic partnership to develop Africa’s first end-to-end Operator-as-a-Service (OaaS) platform. The move marks a bold step toward AI-driven connectivity and digital transformation across the continent.
The partnership was unveiled at Counder Conference 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, a marquee event attracting 500 global investors, family office principals, and corporate decision-makers. The platform will leverage AXON’s AI-ready, real-time, multi-tenant, digital twin-enabled technology across Cassava’s extensive 110,000 km fibre backbone, connecting millions of businesses and consumers while enabling new digital services and economic growth.
Redefining African Connectivity
“As businesses digitise at unprecedented speed, the need for cost-effective, flexible, high-performance networks is critical,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President & Group CEO of Cassava Technologies. “By partnering with AXON, we’re moving beyond traditional hardware-centric infrastructure to a programmable, AI-managed network that can be provisioned and modified in near real-time.”
This AI-first connectivity platform will support mobile network operators, ISPs, and LEO satellite providers, offering secure, private, high-speed data infrastructure while reducing operational complexity and costs. The system enables real-time network adjustments and self-optimizing operations, turning Cassava’s pan-African fibre network into a dynamic digital platform.
The Technology Behind the Transformation
AXON’s OaaS solution introduces digital twin technology that virtualizes Cassava’s network into a living, autonomous model. The platform uses AI to monitor, optimize, and self-manage network operations, accelerating service delivery and improving resilience at scale.
“Partnering with Cassava allows us to integrate our OaaS platform with digital twin technology at unprecedented scale,” said Martin Manniche, CEO and founder of AXON Networks. “This isn’t just network mirroring — it’s creating a live, AI-driven ecosystem that will support Africa’s digital economy and AI sovereignty.”
The partnership also aligns with Cassava’s plans for AI-powered facilities and data centers, reinforcing the company’s vision to transform its fibre backbone into a foundation for next-generation digital services.
Strategic and Economic Impact
The collaboration signals a shift in how African telecommunications infrastructure will operate. By combining AI-driven orchestration with massive fibre coverage, Cassava and AXON aim to reduce manual network management, accelerate service delivery, and enable rapid deployment of new AI and digital services.
According to Counder Conference organizers, the partnership exemplifies how visionary global collaborations can create tangible economic and technological impact. “When world-class organizations come together to advance emerging trends and markets, we see our mission in action: connecting leaders to collaborate on tomorrow’s most important opportunities,” said Michel Weiss, CEO, and Leonard Stiegeler, Chairman of Counder.
Looking Ahead
Cassava and AXON’s OaaS platform represents a new paradigm for African networks, where intelligent, AI-managed infrastructure becomes the foundation for scalable digital transformation. From enterprises to satellite providers, the platform promises unprecedented agility, intelligence, and reach—unlocking opportunities for innovation and growth across the continent.
By turning networks into self-learning, autonomous systems, the partnership aims to catalyze Africa’s AI economy, delivering not just connectivity but a platform for future innovation.
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