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Strive Masiyiwa

Strive Masiyiwa

S. Masiyiwa
0.04% | + $0.82M
$2.11 B ₹ 19,148 Cr
Real Time Net Worth #1956 Ranking as of 21 Feb 2026 By Forbes

More on Strive Masiyiwa

Gender

Male

Age

65Y

Country

Zimbabwe

Born On

January, 1961

Deceased

No

Relationship Status

Married

Children

6

Education

University Of Wales - BSc In Electrical Engineering

Designation Info :

Self-Made

Yes

Entrepreneur Type

Self-Made (Telecom)

Primary Organization

Econet Group

Titles

Founder & Executive Chairman

Sources of Wealth

Econet Group

Industry

Telecom, Technology, Philanthropy, Fiber Optics

About Strive Masiyiwa


S trive Masiyiwa is a London-based Zimbabwean billionaire who is a pioneer of the telecommunications industry in Africa. He is the founder and executive chairman of the pan-African technology group, Econet Global. After returning to his native Zimbabwe in the 1990s following his education and early career in the UK, he founded Econet Wireless. He then waged a landmark and protracted five-year legal and political battle against the Zimbabwean government's state-owned telecom monopoly to win a license to operate a mobile phone network. His victory is considered a watershed moment for private enterprise and the rule of law in the country.

He has since built Econet into a major telecommunications, media, and technology group with operations and investments in numerous African countries. His company, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, has built one of Africa's largest fiber optic networks, providing crucial internet infrastructure across the continent. Masiyiwa is also one of Africa's most prominent philanthropists. He and his wife, Tsitsi, are signatories of the Giving Pledge and have founded the Higherlife Foundation, which focuses on providing education to orphaned and underprivileged children.

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Quick Reads


  • Founder and Executive Chairman of the pan-African telecom company Econet Group.
  • A Zimbabwean national, he now resides in the United Kingdom.
  • Waged a five-year legal battle to win a mobile network license in Zimbabwe.
  • His company, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, is a major fiber optic network operator in Africa.
  • He and his wife are signatories of the Giving Pledge.

Early Life and Background


Strive Masiyiwa is a Zimbabwean businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Group, a massive multinational conglomerate specializing in telecommunications, renewable energy, and fintech across Africa. His career is rooted in electrical engineering, entrepreneurial audacity, and fighting government monopolies.

Masiyiwa holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cardiff (U.K.). His philosophical approach centers on scale, technological disruption, and long-term commitment to African digital inclusion (pioneering the private mobile network model). He famously fought a five-year legal battle with the Zimbabwean government to secure his operating license in 1998.

  • Econet Group (Founder & Chairman): The core private asset, a massive conglomerate spanning telecom (Econet Wireless), renewable energy, and fintech (EcoCash) across Africa.
  • Telecom Pioneer: His success is built on scale investment in mobile infrastructure and dominating the domestic and regional market for mobile connectivity and financial services.
  • Academic Background: He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.
  • Philanthropy: He and his wife, Tsitsi Masiyiwa, founded the Higherlife Foundation, committing billions to education, healthcare, and disaster relief in Africa.

Career Journey of Strive Masiyiwa


Strive Masiyiwa's strategic genius was his commitment to challenging monopolies. He founded Econet Wireless after leaving the state-owned telecom company. His structural contribution is immense: pioneering the private mobile telecom model and driving digital inclusion across Zimbabwe and 14 other African markets (including EcoCash, the mobile money platform). His five-year legal battle against the Zimbabwean government (ending in 1998) is a foundational story of African entrepreneurship.

His wealth is secured by the colossal, long-term, stable profitability of the global telecommunications and digital financial services sector.

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Strive Masiyiwa's Timeline


1980s (approx.):

Graduates with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cardiff (U.K.) (Academic Achievement).

1998:

Wins his landmark legal battle against the Zimbabwean government to secure an operating license (Pivotal Event/Founding).

2009:

Launches EcoCash (Fintech Apex).

Ongoing:

Continues as Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Group, guiding the massive conglomerate (Executive Oversight).

Major Business Ventures and Investments


Strive Masiyiwa's wealth is concentrated in his founding equity and continued executive leadership of the private conglomerate, Econet Group, and its publicly traded subsidiaries.

  • Econet Group (Founder & Chairman): The core private asset, a massive conglomerate spanning telecom (Econet Wireless), renewable energy, and fintech (EcoCash) across Africa.
  • Telecom Pioneer: His success is built on scale investment in mobile infrastructure and dominating the domestic and regional market for mobile connectivity and financial services.
  • Academic Background: He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cardiff (U.K.).
  • Philanthropy: He founded the Higherlife Foundation, committing billions to education, healthcare, and disaster relief in Africa.

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Philanthropy and Social Impact


Strive Masiyiwa's social impact is massive, stemming from Econet's role in providing essential mobile connectivity and digital financial services (EcoCash) that have accelerated financial inclusion for millions of Africans. The Higherlife Foundation supports hundreds of thousands of underprivileged students with scholarships, and provides significant funding for healthcare and disaster relief across the continent.

His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives.

Fashion, Style, and Lifestyle


Strive Masiyiwa maintains the professional, composed style of a corporate executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and stability, typical of a pioneer in the global telecom sector.

Residing in London, U.K., his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to technology innovation, strategic management, and philanthropy.

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Quotes and Philosophy


No publicly available quotes.

Fun Facts & Trivia


  • He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Group (telecom, energy, fintech).
  • He successfully fought a five-year legal battle to secure his mobile operating license in Zimbabwe.
  • His company's mobile money platform is EcoCash.
  • He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.
  • He and his wife founded the Higherlife Foundation (major philanthropic endeavor).
  • His structural wealth is tied to the successful monetization and scale of the African mobile telecom revolution.

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Sources & References


This profile is compiled from verified biographical and financial records:

  • Wealth Data: Real-time tracking and historical data from Forbes Billionaires and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
  • Biographical Records: Educational and career history sourced from Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and official university alumni directories.
  • Regulatory Filings: Shareholder and executive disclosures from stock exchange databases, including HKEX, SSE, SZSE, and SEC EDGAR.
  • Corporate History: Primary data from annual company reports, founding charters, and verified press announcements.

All information is cross-referenced with public sources for accuracy; some narrative sections are AI-assisted summaries.

If you find any inaccuracies, please report them to admin@redcarpetlife.in

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