US NVIDIA sets sights on Morocco following South African AI factory launch

American tech giant NVIDIA has identified Morocco as a priority market for expansion following its June entry into South Africa, signaling the continent’s growing importance in global artificial intelligence infrastructure development.

The company recently sent a delegation to meet key economic stakeholders in Morocco’s capital, according to industry reports. This strategic move reflects Africa’s determination not to miss the technological transition after largely missing earlier industrialization opportunities.

NVIDIA’s African expansion began with a partnership with Cassava Technologies, controlled by Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, to establish the continent’s first AI factory in South Africa. The collaboration makes Cassava, which operates in 26 countries with 4,000 clients and generated $906 million in 2023 revenue, NVIDIA’s regional reference partner.

“Expansion is planned for other data centers in Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria,” stated an official announcement. The facilities will leverage Cassava’s pan-African high-speed, low-latency fiber optic network and sustainable data centers to deliver AI as a service.

Morocco presents several strategic advantages attracting NVIDIA’s attention. Abdelilah Kadili, president of Tamkine Foundation and AI expert, notes that “this strategic movement forcefully illustrates that Africa has become a space of major opportunities, particularly in artificial intelligence.”

The kingdom’s proximity to Europe, attractive tax framework for technology companies, and ambition to become a regional digital hub strengthen its positioning. Hicham Kasraoui, strategy consultant at BearingPoint, explains that Morocco quickly developed an AI strategy following national conferences gathering the entire ecosystem.

Redouane El Haloui, president of Apebi, Morocco’s IT professional association, emphasizes that “being a technological hub means not just welcoming companies but building a solid ecosystem capable of attracting and connecting major global players to African dynamics.”

Omar Benmoussa, IT expert, highlights essential requirements for maximizing such investment: developing AI and high-performance computing skills, improving digital infrastructure including cloud computing capacity, and establishing an incentive regulatory framework encouraging AI investments.