At a Glance
- Tony Elumelu joins Macron, Nvidia’s Huang in Paris dinner spotlighting tech and global business ties.
- Heirs Technologies signals Elumelu’s intent to push African business deeper into the tech economy.
- Cassava’s Nvidia-powered AI data center positions Africa as an emerging force in global AI infrastructure.
In the storied Élysée Palace, where diplomacy meets power and influence, Tony Elumelu, one of Africa’s most prominent business leaders, sat down for dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. It was an intimate evening in Paris that brought together influential voices from politics, technology, and global business.
Elumelu, who leads United Bank for Africa and Heirs Holdings, shared a quiet snapshot of the gathering on LinkedIn: “Dinner last night with President Emmanuel Macron at the Palais de l’Elysee. It was great catching up with Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia.” The post captured more than just a moment, it showed a quiet but telling encounter between leaders shaping tomorrow’s economy.
Elumelu steps into global tech talks
Though framed in the formality of a state dinner, the meeting carried deeper meaning. It marked a moment where conversations around the future, especially the growing influence of artificial intelligence, are no longer limited to Silicon Valley or European capitals. Increasingly, African leaders like Elumelu are stepping into these rooms, not just to observe, but to engage, contribute, and build.
For Elumelu, whose business interests span energy, finance, and hospitality, the dinner came at a time when he’s also pushing into tech. Last year, he launched Heirs Technologies, aiming to provide IT consulting, business solutions, and systems integration designed for Africa’s specific needs. The company hasn’t yet dived directly into AI, but it reflects a clear intent: to make sure African businesses are not left behind as technology reshapes global markets.
Nvidia powers Africa’s AI ambitions
Meanwhile, another African business giant is already making bold moves in that space. Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, through Cassava Technologies, is building Africa’s first dedicated AI data center. Located in South Africa and powered by Nvidia’s advanced computing systems, the facility is set to go live in mid-2025. It will give African developers, researchers, and governments access to powerful AI tools—without relying on offshore infrastructure.
Cassava’s AI facility, which will offer AI-as-a-Service using Nvidia’s reference architecture, is designed with scale and sustainability in mind. With plans to expand into Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and Morocco, it could help close the continent’s long-standing infrastructure gap while preserving data sovereignty. It also sends a clear signal: Africa is not waiting to be invited to the future—it’s already building it.
Tony Elumelu shows up for the continent
Elumelu understands this well. Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, he’s spent years backing young African entrepreneurs, helping thousands turn ideas into businesses. He’s long believed that real progress depends on more than just investment, it requires access, connection, and a seat at the table. That’s why his short conversation with Huang, whose company is driving the AI revolution with a valuation now topping $3.5 trillion, may be more important than it first appears.
Even if no immediate deal came out of their conversation, the symbolism is hard to miss. Africa’s business leaders aren’t just reacting to global trends anymore. They’re shaping them. And Elumelu’s presence alongside Macron and Huang is a reflection of that shift—a quiet assertion that Africa’s voice belongs in the rooms where tomorrow is being designed.
Africa enters the tech conversation
In an age where computing power and data drive influence, the image of these three leaders together says a lot. It tells a story of connection, between continents, industries, and ideas. And it suggests that Africa’s next economic chapter might not be written in oil or minerals, but in code, lines of logic powering everything from health to finance to agriculture.
Whether Heirs Technologies becomes a major player in AI or simply lays the foundation for future ventures, Elumelu’s appearance in Paris adds to a larger narrative: Africa is no longer on the sidelines. It’s in the room, part of the conversation, and ready to help define what comes next. And if Elumelu’s past is any indication, where he goes, others are sure to follow.
