Dr. Elizabeth Jack-Rich, a Nigerian business magnate and CEO of ELIN Group, has positioned Africa as a key player in the global AI economy’s future.
She maintained that the industrial potential and resource base of the continent will be crucial in determining the direction of future technological development.
She personally signed a statement on Thursday that included this information.
Speaking at the UNLEASH Global Business Conference 2026 on April 25 at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Centre in Washington, DC, Jack-Rich questioned popular perceptions of artificial intelligence, emphasising that its roots go well beyond software.
Everyone talks about AI as if it were a software narrative. “No, it’s not; it’s a physics tale,” she replied.
She claims that raw materials and physical infrastructure are crucial to the quick development of AI technologies.
Jack-Rich explained, “It’s about power, compute, copper, rare earths, and the industrial services needed to move, extract, and refine all of that.”
Africa’s significance in this ecosystem is frequently overlooked, the businesswoman pointed out. Although the continent is well known for its abundant mineral resources, she stated that developing integrated industrial capacity is the true opportunity.
Africa plays a significant part in this. The fact that the next ten years 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 is often overlooked, she said, rather than the fact that Africa contains substantial deposits or is a major supplier of these minerals.
Jack-Rich also revealed that her company’s strategic direction is being driven by this viewpoint.
“That is the bet I am making with ELIN Group—not investing in Africa as a sentiment; we are beyond aid, but building an operating platform that the AI economy depends on, which is the African economy,” she stated.
With the theme “Building for What’s Next,” the UNLEASH Global Business Conference 2026 brought together policymakers, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and MBA students for high-level talks on resilience, innovation, and leadership in a rapidly changing global economy.
The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School’s Africa Business Club, Women in Business Graduate Club, and Net Impact Club co-hosted the event.
Jack-Rich participated in a fireside chat titled “Leadership in the Age of Disruption: Identity, Power, & Impact” as a panellist and keynote speaker. In a session that looked at how leadership is changing in the face of global uncertainty and emerging market dynamics, she joined world leaders like Tolani Alli of the World Bank and Denise Fall of Johnson & Johnson.
Participants said the talks were enlightening and forward-thinking, especially for young professionals and up-and-coming leaders navigating economic volatility and sustainability issues.
Speaking following the event, Jack-Rich reaffirmed her dedication to advancing Africa’s role in influencing the future of the global economy and expressed gratitude for the chance to contribute to international discourse.
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