Contents
Strive Masiyiwa
Building Econet after challenging Zimbabwe’s telecoms monopoly and expanding African communications infrastructure.
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe · Higherlife Foundation
- Born
- 29 January 1961
- Birthplace
- Zimbabwe
More people
Strive Masiyiwa
Strive Masiyiwa is a Zimbabwean entrepreneur whose companies span mobile networks and digital infrastructure. His effort to launch Econet involved a prolonged legal struggle over telecoms competition. He also works in education philanthropy and continental health initiatives.
Early life
Zambia and Scotland
Spent part of his childhood in Zambia and attended secondary school in Scotland.
Engineering
Studied electrical engineering in Wales before returning to Zimbabwe in 1984.
Career
- 1980s
Engineering business
Moved from telecoms employment into his own electrical-engineering enterprise.
- 1993–1998
Econet struggle
Founded Econet and pursued legal challenges before its mobile network launched in Zimbabwe.
- 2000s–2020s
International expansion
Developed communications and digital-infrastructure businesses across several markets.
- 2020
African Union envoy
Helped coordinate private-sector procurement of medical supplies during the pandemic.
Companies & projects
Higherlife Foundation
Co-founded the education and humanitarian organisation with his wife, Tsitsi.
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe
Launched the mobile network after a prolonged licensing dispute.
Cassava Technologies
Established a group bringing together digital-infrastructure and technology businesses.
Beyond work
Education support
Higherlife has supported schooling and scholarships for vulnerable and gifted children.
Health cooperation
Contributed to African responses to Ebola and COVID-19, including vaccine procurement efforts.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Institutional biography and career record ↗Photo: Kathi Walther Bouma. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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