Early Life and Education
Strive Masiyiwa was born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on January 29, 1961. At age seven, his family relocated to Zambia. At age 12, his parents sent him to a private school in Scotland. He obtained a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Wales in 1983. Masiyiwa returned to Zimbabwe and worked briefly in the computer industry before joining the state-owned Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) as an engineer, gaining firsthand insight into Africa's outdated telecom systems.
Rise to Success
Masiyiwa founded Econet Wireless in 1990, a venture that faced significant opposition from the Zimbabwean government due to the state-owned PTC’s telecom monopoly. After a five-year legal battle, Masiyiwa won the right to operate, launching Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in 1998. The company became a leading telecommunications provider in the region, with Econet's story defined by faith, visionary entrepreneurship, and overcoming regulatory and economic adversity.
Key Business Strategies
Masiyiwa’s success is attributed to identifying a human need and working to meet it. In 1994, 70% of Africans had never used a telephone. Masiyiwa leveraged technology and resources to extend telecommunications to the people of Africa. He owns 38% of publicly-traded Econet Wireless Zimbabwe and also owns a stake in private company Liquid Intelligent Technologies. He also expanded into fintech and mobile money services through EcoCash. In November 2021, Cassava Technologies was launched, integrating digital services across multiple markets.
Philanthropy
Masiyiwa, along with his wife Tsitsi, founded the Higherlife Foundation in 1996. The Higherlife Foundation has supported over 350,000 scholarships for African youth. Through Higherlife Foundation and Delta Philanthropies, Masiyiwa supports initiatives primarily focused on education, health, women and children, youth mentorship, rural transformation, and disaster relief. He is a signatory of the Giving Pledge.
