‘Africa central to global AI economy’s future’

Dr. Elizabeth Jack-Rich, CEO of ELIN Group, has boldly asserted Africa's pivotal position in the burgeoning global Artificial Intelligence economy. Speaking at the UNLEASH Global Business Conference at Johns Hopkins University, she challenged the prevailing notion that AI is solely a software phenomenon. Instead, Jack-Rich articulated a compelling vision where AI's true foundation lies in physics – the power, compute, and crucially, the raw materials and industrial services required for its expansion.

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Everyone discusses AI like it’s a software story. No, it’s not; it’s a physics story.

Her argument underscores a critical, often overlooked, aspect of technological advancement: the physical infrastructure and resource base. Africa, with its vast mineral wealth, is not merely a supplier but a potential linchpin in the entire AI value chain. Jack-Rich's perspective, as presented by The Punch, emphasizes the opportunity for African nations to integrate from mining to advanced industrial applications, engaging with global capital on equitable terms.

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It’s about power, compute, copper, rare earths, and the industrial services needed to move, extract, and refine all of that.

This strategic outlook, which she is implementing through ELIN Group, signifies a departure from traditional aid-dependent models. It represents a deliberate investment in building an operational platform that the AI economy fundamentally requires, positioning Africa not as a recipient of aid, but as an indispensable partner in shaping the future of technology. The conference itself, themed "Building for What’s Next," provided a fitting stage for such forward-looking discourse.

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Africa has a meaningful role in this. What is often underestimated is not that Africa holds major deposits or is a significant supplier of these minerals, but that the next decade will reward operators on the continent who can integrate across the entire value chain—from mining to aviation, logistics, and power—and engage with global capital on equal terms.