Strive Masiyiwa, Zimbabwean tycoon and founder of telecommunications company Econet Wireless, has been named by Forbes in their 2012 list of “20 most Powerful People in African Business”.
Strive Masiyiwa is the only Information and Communications Technology business person on the list put together by the internationally renowned business magazine.
Masiyiwa is the founder and current Executive Chairman of Econet Wireless, a mobile telecommunications company with operations in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Burundi and Rwanda. Forbes also reports that Masiyiwa’s company owns a 3G license in New Zealand.
Despite his wealth and Econet’s successes, Masiyiwa continues to search for new opportunities, the latest being a solar power company called Econet Power Station.
The power company is believed to be developing “a revolutionary solar power device which will allow individuals and families across Africa to light up their homes, charge their mobile phones and generally utilize energy at a relatively low cost compared to solar energy devices currently available in Africa”.
He is also involved in an organisation named the Carbon War Room. It aims to implement market-driven solutions to climate change, which he co-founded with well known UK businessman Sir Richard Branson.
Masiyiwa is also believed to be the richest man in Zimbabwe.
