Africa is not going to be left behind or outside the data revolution. Strive Masiyiwa sat down with CNN Marketplace Africa host Zain Asher to talk about investment in broadband infrastructure and the future of mobile technology.
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Strive Masiyiwa is a telecommunications and technology entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. In nearly four decades as an entrepreneur, he has founded and invested in businesses globally, spanning Africa, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East, New Zealand, and the USA.
Strive Masiyiwa
Chairman and Founder, Econet
Some of his most prominent start-up companies and investments include Mascom Wireless Botswana, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, Econet Wireless Nigeria (now Airtel Nigeria), Liquid Intelligent Technologies Group, Econet Wireless New Zealand (now 2degrees Mobile), Trilogy Capital Partners Canada (early investor), Cassava Technologies (including most recently, Cassava AI), Africa Data Centres, Sasai Fintech, and Telrad Group Israel. He continues to invest privately through his investment companies and family office.
Born in Zimbabwe in 1961, he left the country as a child and returned after Independence in 1984, working briefly as a telecoms engineer before setting up his first business in 1986. He emigrated from Zimbabwe in 2000, living with his family in South Africa until 2010. They then moved to the UK from where he runs a global portfolio in more than 40 countries on four continents.
A graduate in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Cardiff University, Masiyiwa holds honorary doctorates from Stellenbosch University, Yale, Morehouse College, Nelson Mandela University, and his alma mater, Cardiff University. His accolades include the World Food Prize Borlaug Medallion in 2019 for his role as Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (focused on strengthening food systems and supporting Africa’s smallholder farmers); election in 2023 as an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and the W. E. B. Du Bois Medal awarded in 2024 by Harvard University's Hutchins Center for African & African American Research.
Through his family foundations, Higherlife Foundation and Delta Philanthropies, led by his wife Tsitsi and eldest daughter Elizabeth Tanya, he has supported over 300,000 scholarships for African youth and continues to invest in catalytic social impact initiatives in Africa, focusing primarily on education, health, women and children, youth mentorship, rural transformation, sustainable livelihoods, disaster relief and preparedness. Committed Christians, he and his wife have six adult children. They are signatories of the Giving Pledge.
* Netflix Inc., Non-Executive Director
* Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Board of Trustees
* National Geographic Society, Board of Trustees
* Bank of America, Global Advisory Board
* Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Global Advisory Board
* Stanford University, Global Advisory Board
* US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Standing Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial
* Chatham House, Panel of Senior Advisors
* Trilateral Commission, Global member
* Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights, New York University Law School, Board of Advisors
* Ashinaga Kenjin-Tatsujin (Japan), International Advisory Council
* International Finance Facility for Education, High-Level Advisory Group
* Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), founded with the late Kofi Annan, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
* B-Team, inaugural co-founder and member
* Carbon War Room, founded by Sir Richard Branson and others, Founder’s Council
* Africans Against Ebola Solidarity Trust, Co-founding trustee
* Global Business Coalition on Education, Co-founding member
* Generation Africa GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize, Co-founder
* Global Africa Business Initiative, Co-founder
* Unilever PLC, Non-Executive Director (2016-2024)
African Union
- Special Advisor to African Presidents, US-Africa Leadership Summit Initiative on Food Security, 2022
- Special Envoy for Covid Response, 2020-2022
- Head of Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team, 2020-2022
- Reform Task Force, Member, 2015-2018
- Special Envoy for the Ebola Pandemic Response, 2014-2015
United Nations
- Global Commission on Adaptation, Member, 2018-2019
- International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunities, Secretary General’s Advisory Board, 2015-2016
- Commission on Sustainable Energy for All, Secretary General’s Advisory Board, 2013
* United States Council on Foreign Relations, Global advisory board member, 2012-2023
* President’s Advisory Council on Investment (South Africa), Advisor, 2020-2023
* United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Member of Committee on Conscience, 2010-2021
* Pathways for Prosperity Commission for Technology and Inclusive Growth, Co-Chair with Melinda French Gates and Hon Sri Mulyani Indrawati, 2018-2019
* Africa Business Heroes competition, Finalist jury (inaugural competition for African entrepreneurs founded by Jack Ma, fellow juror), 2019
* Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Chair, now Chair Emeritus), 2010-2018
* Asia Society, Board of Trustees, 2015-2020
* Morehouse College, Board of Trustees, 2012-Jan 2017
* Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon Campaign, Cervical cancer awareness ambassador, (Initiative of former President George W Bush and his wife, Laura), 2016- 2019
* Africa Progress Panel (set up by Kofi Annan), Panel member, 2013-2018
* Grow Africa, Co-chair, 2012-2015
* Micronutrient Initiative of Canada, (Now Nutrition International), Chair, 2014-2016
* SMART Africa, Founding member, 2013
* Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Humanitarian Prize, Member of international jury, 2012-2018
* Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Global e-Health Ambassadors Programme, Special advisor and ambassador, 2011-2015
* The Rockefeller Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2003-2018
* Southern African Enterprise Development Fund (set up by President Bill Clinton and Ambassador Andrew Young), Advisor, 1994-1998
* W. E. B. Du Bois Medal, Hutchins Center of African and African American Research, Harvard University, 2024
* International Honorary Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2023
* Entrepreneur of the Year, Spear’s Magazine UK, 2022
* New Africa Magazine, 100 Most Influential Africans, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
* Fortune Magazine, World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, 2014, 2017, 2021
* Bloomberg, 50 Most Influential People in the World, 2020
* Junior Achievement Worldwide Global Business Hall of Fame, 2020
* Speech laureate, 9thAnnual Archbishop Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture, 2019
* Honorary Fellow, African Academy of Sciences, 2019
* Norman E. Borlaug Food Prize Medallion, 2019
* Points of Light Award (UK Prime Minister’s Award for Philanthropy), 2018
* Invited by the White House to introduce President Barack Obama at launch of Feed the Future Agriculture initiative, the US government' multibillion dollar program to support smallholder farmers in Africa (for which Mr Masiyiwa led the campaign), 2016
* Forbes Magazine, 10 Most Powerful Men in Africa, 2015
* Freedom Award, International Rescue Committee, 2015
* UN Foundation Global Leadership Award for Africa, Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust, 2015
* Invited by President Barack Obama to attend G-8 Summit at Camp David, 2012
* Forbes Magazine, 20 Most Powerful Business People in Africa, 2011
* Times of London, 25 Leaders of Africa’s Renaissance Award, 2011
* Builder of Modern Africa Award, 2010
* CNN/Time Magazine Poll, 15 Global Influencers of the Year, 2003
* Times Global Influencers, 2002
* Ten Most Outstanding Young Persons in the World, Junior Chamber International, 1999
* Zimbabwean Manager and Entrepreneur of the Year, 1998
* Zimbabwean Businessman of the Year (youngest ever recipient), 1990
* Commencement speaker: Africa Leadership University (2018), New York University Stern Law School (2018), Morehouse College (2016), Hult International Business School (2014)
* Stellenbosch University (South Africa), 2024
* Yale University (USA), 2019
* Cardiff University (UK), 2019 (Fellow)
* Nelson Mandela University (SA), 2017
* Morehouse College (USA), 2012
Strive Masiyiwa is a well-known international business leader who has won numerous international recognition and awards. Some of his awards include the following:
As a respected business leader today, Strive Masiyiwa speaks regularly on business and economic issues at major international gatherings, and has been regularly featured in leading international publications and television programmes, among them the Economist, Newsweek, CNN, Barron’s of New York and the Financial Times and The World Economic Forum.
Strive Masiyiwa is internationally recognised for his leadership contributions in a number of areas outside of business including his crusading campaigns to stamp out corruption in Africa. He is a leading business voice, championing the establishment and promotion of the rule of law.
Over the years Strive Masiyiwa has served on many international boards and foundations.
Strive Masiyiwa is currently involved in the following for-profit and not-for-profit organisations :
As one of a small, but rapidly growing number of global companies from Africa, Econet is at the forefront of ensuring that the voice of African business is heard at major international gatherings.
The company not only participates in such events, but has also actively sponsored, hosted, and supported meetings and dialogues, to promote better understanding concerning African economic issues, as well as social development issues, health and the environment.
Africa is not going to be left behind or outside the data revolution. Strive Masiyiwa sat down with CNN Marketplace Africa host Zain Asher to talk about investment in broadband infrastructure and the future of mobile technology.
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Strive Masiyiwa was recently selected by Fortune Magazine as one of “the world’s 50 greatest leaders”.
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This CNN video shows Econet Solar's new invention, the Home|Power|Station - a device that is destined to improve the quality of many lives in developing countries around the globe.
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As one of the most respected African business leaders today, Mr. Masiyiwa speaks regularly on African business at major international business gatherings and has been regularly featured in leading international publications and television programs, among them the Economist, Newsweek, Barron’s of New York, Financial Times and CNN.
Watch Video
“As I’m writing about these businesses, ......I’m reminded of a conversation I had with Strive Masiyiwa, chairman and founder of Econet, one of the largest telecommunication companies in the world. ...... Strive is passionate about Africa gaining full economic freedom. ....he wanted to make an even bigger difference.”
“one of the people responsible for this communications revolution is one of my co-founders in the carbon war room, Strive Masiyiwa.”
“In 1965, when Strive was seven years old, Rhodesia’s leader Ian Smith authored a unilateral declaration of independence from Britain. Strive’s parents left the country, sending their son to a boarding school in Edinburgh. Strive longed to return home and he planned eventually to go to Zambia and join the guerrillas, just across the border, to fight in the armed struggle against Smith’s ruling white minority. But then he talked to his cousin- who ran a training camp for the guerrilla army that would one day become Robert Mugabe’s Zanu –PF party- who told him he was too late: the war was all but won. What the new country needed now, more than soldiers, was educated people. Strive listened to his cousin's wise words and stayed in Britain to study, earned his degree, and, returning to what was now Zimbabwe, he went to work for the national telephone company. Growing emerging markets and mobile phone networks have become a marriage made in heaven. Mobile networks are quicker and cheaper to buy than landlines. In 1993, Strive had no trouble acquiring the finance needed to launch his first mobile phone company. The trouble was that Mugabe did not want to grant any licences for new mobile phone companies. Strives legal battles with Mugabe came to a head in 1996 when the presidential decree banned private cell phone operations. But Strive did not give up and decided to take the government to court. In December 1997 he won his case and proceeded to set up Econet as a successful mobile phone company in Zimbabwe.
By then, however, Strives vision had grown. His ambitions had extended beyond his troubled country's frontiers, and from his headquarters in Johannesburg he decided to create a truly multinational African Business, one that today spans seven countries, boasts more than twenty-five million customers and generates an estimated $3 Billion (£1.8 Billion) in annual revenues. Econet is a celebrated example of African entrepreneurship and is changing people’s lives for the better every day.
Strive also has a deep sense of responsibility about giving something back to the community. Through the Capernaum Trust, which he set up with his wife, profits have so far provided education for 26,000 orphans. Strive sits on the board of Trusties of the Rockefeller Foundation and works with Kofi Annan’s Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa – as well as being the co founder with me and seven other entrepreneurs in the Carbon War room.
Just as important as what he is doing individually are the values Strive has instilled in his company.The firm provides counselling and antiretroviral drugs for its employees and their families who are living with HIV/AIDS. It spreads entrepreneurial opportunity, investing in heavily in community phone shops and payphones throughout its local markets to bring connectivity to people who would normally not be able to afford it. In brining telecommunications to those communities, Econet is empowering local populations, giving them the chance to be entrepreneurs by running these businesses. Econet’s phones, like millions of others around the world, are becoming doctors, insurance companies, banks and so much more.
The opportunity to use the mobile phone to drive change in the world is enormous, with over 5.3 Billion mobile phone users in the world and 90% of the world’s population able to get access to a mobile service. Take health: by 2015, five hundred million people will be using mobile health applications around the world. This simple device is transforming our response to health issues, from prevention of diseases such as HIV with education through mobile games, to diagnostic and treatment support, to outbreak tracking, the list goes on...”
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