Cassava Technologies and AXON Networks have unveiled a groundbreaking partnership to launch Africa’s first end-to-end Operator-as-a-Service (OaaS) platform, aiming to fast-track artificial intelligence adoption and digital transformation across the continent.
The announcement was made at Counder Conference 2026 in Cape Town, one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest private capital gatherings, drawing over 500 global investors, corporate decision-makers, and family office principals.
Under the deal, AXON’s AI-ready, real-time, multi-tenant, digital twin-enabled platform will operate across Cassava’s high-speed fibre network, which spans more than 110,000 km of terrestrial and submarine routes. The platform enables networks to self-optimize, reduce operational complexity, and provision services in near real-time, creating new avenues for AI-driven innovation.
“As businesses continue to digitize, there is a pressing need for flexible, high-performance network solutions,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies. “Our partnership with AXON transforms our fibre network into a dynamic platform, enabling real-time deployment and management of customer networks across Africa.”
AXON Networks founder and CEO Martin Manniche added: “This is more than network virtualization, it’s a live AI ecosystem. By combining Cassava’s fibre footprint with our OaaS technology, we’re building a foundation for Africa’s AI economy and digital sovereignty.”
The platform will serve mobile network operators, internet service providers, and satellite operators, providing secure, private, high-speed infrastructure capable of supporting millions of users. It also integrates Cassava’s planned AI-powered data centres, offering businesses unprecedented agility and scalability.
Michel Weiss, CEO of Counder, highlighted the partnership’s broader significance: “This collaboration exemplifies how visionary leaders can spark meaningful change. By bringing technology and capital together, Africa’s digital landscape can be transformed at scale.”
The launch positions Cassava and AXON at the forefront of Africa’s AI and digital economy, offering both operators and enterprises a route to faster innovation, smarter networks, and improved connectivity across the continent.
