Stanlib Infrastructure Investments, one of South Africa’s leading institutional investors, has announced a strategic investment in Cassava Technologies to support the rapid expansion of its data centre subsidiary, Africa Data Centres (ADC). The capital injection will be used to develop AI-ready infrastructure at ADC’s campuses in Johannesburg and Cape Town, reinforcing South Africa’s position as a regional hub for digital innovation and cloud services.
The investment will enable Africa Data Centres to meet the surging demand for high-capacity, secure, and scalable digital infrastructure, particularly from hyperscalers, enterprises, and public sector clients. The new facilities will be designed to support AI workloads, cloud computing, and advanced connectivity, helping bridge the digital divide and drive economic growth.
Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies, welcomed the partnership:
Partnering with Stanlib strengthens our South African operations and validates the robust foundation we’ve built. It provides us the scale required to serve major hyperscalers and enterprises as they rapidly increase their demand for secure, high-capacity connectivity and cloud services across the region.
The investment aligns with Cassava’s broader strategy to expand its data centre footprint across Africa, enabling businesses and governments to leverage AI-driven services and cloud-first innovations.
Andy Louw, Co-Head of Stanlib Infrastructure Investments, emphasized the importance of the deal:
We are proud to partner with Africa Data Centres, a leader in Africa’s digital evolution. Data centres are critical infrastructure for the modern economy, and our investment will strengthen South Africa’s digital backbone, enabling ADC to contribute meaningfully to the country’s growth. It aligns with our desire to be an economic enabler for the South African economy by deploying capital that drives growth while giving institutional investors differentiated access to a unique asset class.
Stanlib’s investment reflects its commitment to supporting infrastructure that drives technological advancement, job creation, and sustainable development.
Africa Data Centres currently operates seven state-of-the-art facilities across the continent, serving more than 400 enterprise and hyperscale customers. The new investment will help ADC:
- Scale capacity to meet growing demand
- Enhance energy efficiency
- Build next-generation facilities for AI and high-performance computing
By expanding its South African infrastructure, Cassava Technologies is reinforcing its role as a key enabler of Africa’s digital transformation, supporting industries from finance and healthcare to e-commerce and education.
