Cassava Technologies, the pan-African digital infrastructure company, has partnered with intelligent network platform provider AXON Networks to co-develop, deploy, and manage Africa’s first end-to-end Operator-as-a-Service (OaaS) platform. The partnership allows customers and service providers to run on AXON’s AI-ready network platform, using Cassava’s fibre infrastructure as the backbone to deliver connectivity across the continent. According to the companies, the platform is designed to reduce operational complexity, speed up service delivery, lower costs, and improve network resilience. It targets African businesses of all sizes, including telecommunications service providers. The move comes as network stability remains a concern across the region. In 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission reported an average of 1,100 fibre cuts per week across the industry. More recently, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani issued a 90-day directive to telecom regulators to penalise operators due to network failures. AXON’s OaaS platform will run on Cassava’s network, which spans over 110,000 kilometres of terrestrial and submarine fibre, alongside satellite and wireless connectivity. The system is intended to support more automated and self-managed network operations. “As businesses continue to digitise, there is a need for flexible, high-performance networks that reduce manual configuration,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, president and group CEO of Cassava Technologies. He said the partnership moves Cassava away from hardware-centric infrastructure toward programmable, AI-managed networks. Cassava has been expanding its AI infrastructure footprint. The company has partnered with the Rockefeller Foundation to provide AI computing power to NGOs in eight African countries and is working with NVIDIA to develop AI-powered data centers. It is also expanding its data center, fibre, and fintech businesses, including Liquid C2 and Sasai. AXON will provide the Operator-as-a-Service platform, enabling mobile network operators, satellite providers, and internet service providers to deliver secure, private, high-speed data services. “We’re not just mirroring networks—we’re virtualising an entire infrastructure into a live AI-driven ecosystem,” said Martin Manniche, CEO and founder of AXON Networks. He added that the platform will leverage Cassava’s backbone, including its planned AI-powered factory, to support growth and AI adoption across the continent. The partnership was announced at the Counder Conference 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.
