Ten Naija women wey help shape telecommunications industry

Di Naija telecommunications industry wey dey valued as one of di largest and most vibrant for Africa don dey contribute well-well to economic growth Octobir 14, 2024.

According to Business Day News report on Octobir 14, say wit over 220 million active subscribirs, di sector don see growth wey no one see bifore, wit advancements in mobile technology, internet connectivity, and innovative services.

Di women for Naija telecoms industry no small at all o, dem don rise, break barriers, and shape di future of telecommunications for Naija.

Dem no only redefine leadership for traditionally male-dominated space but also drive critical advancements in network infrastructure, data services, and digital inclusion.

Some of di notable women include:

• ⁠ Mrs. ⁠Funke Opeke, founder and CEO of MainOne, wey Equinix acquire for $320 million in 2022: Mrs. Opeke na di founder and CEO of MainOne, di leading telecommunications and network solutions provider across West Africa, wit headquarters in Lagos, Naija.

Following a $320 million acquisition in 2022, MainOne now forms part of Equinix a US-based digital infrastructure company.

• ⁠ Mrs. ⁠Kemi Ariyo, C-Suite Telecommunications expert and Director of Information Technology for Airtel Naija: Mrs. Ariyo bi C-Suite Telecommunications expert wey get over 16 years of experience across di IT value chain.

She currently dey serve as Director of Information Technology for Airtel Naija.

Mrs. Ariyo start her career as application support engineer.

She com join Airtel from IBM, wia she work as Business Operations Analyst under management service.

In 2019, she bicome di Head of Project Delivery at Airtel, wia she lead her team to execute complex projects like di CSDP platform.

Biyond her role for Airtel, she also run Brightstar Integral Technology, company wey she start to dey provide innovative tech and consulting services.

Ariyo get undergraduate degree from Covenant University and Master’s degree in Information Security from di Royal Holloway University of London.

• ⁠ ⁠ Mrs. Adia Sowho, former Chief Marketing Officer for MTN Naija and first female CMO: Mrs. Sowho, former Chief Marketing Officer for MTN Naija, bi di telco’s first female CMO.

She bi experienced executive wit background in engineering, consulting, and product development.

Sowho work for Radio Frequency Engineer for US Cellular Corporation for Chicago bifore transitioning into management consulting for Deloitte Consulting LLP in 2007.

Sowho bi VP of Growth and Managing Director for Migo, machine learning-powered instant credit platform for Naija.

For Migo, she grow di company’s user base to one million and lead its expansion to Brazil.

During pandemic, she bi interim CEO fro di Thrive Agric, agri-tech startup.

she also work as Director of Digital Business for 9mobile (formerly Etisalat Naija), where she partner wit startups to take deliver mobile content, advertising, financial, and API services to di company’s 23 million users.

Bifore dat role, she serve 9mobile as di Head of Strategy and Business Development and Head of Digital Media.

She launch di company’s first Digital Business unit, grow di revenue to $100 million in four years, expand partnerships, and lead di creation of mobile digital products and services.

she currently serve on di board of Hover and Sankore Investments.

She hold MBA from di Kellogg School of Management for Northwestern University and bachelor’s degree for electrical engineering from di University of Sheffield.

• ⁠ ⁠Mrs. Billa Disu, Chairman of Abumet Naija, Executive Vice Chairman of Globacom, and CEO of Cobblestone Properties and Estates Limited: Mrs. Disu serve as Chairman of Abumet Naija, Executive Vice Chairman of Globacom, and CEO of Cobblestone Properties and Estates Limited.

She also bi Non-Executive Director for Julius Birger Naija PLC.

Disu get track record of providing strategic leadership across diverse industries.

Biyond business, she use philanthropy to empower people and communities.

Her non-profit, di Billa Disu Foundation, work to improve socio-economic conditions in underserved communities.

At Globacom, she com found di SheGlows program to accelerate women’s potential for di workplace.

Disu also bi director of di Alliance Francaise Mike Adenuga Centre and long-term patron of di Musical Society of Naija (MUSON).

She don write children’s book, “Soso and Di Kako Leaf,” wey publish in June 2022.

Disu’s work earn her di French Government’s Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres award and recognition in di Choiseul 100 Africa ranking as key figure shaping Africa’s economic future.

She get her bachelor’s degree from di University of Massachusetts, Boston and master’s from Northeastern University.

• ⁠ ⁠Mrs. Ogo Ofomata, Director of Airtel Business at Airtel Naija: Mrs. Ofomata bi Director for Airtel Business fro Airtel Naija.

She get over 20 years of experience.

Ofomata dey passionate about closing di gender gap.

Bisides helping Airtel Naija lead new wave for Naija’s data centre landscape, di Computer Science graduate from di University of Naija, Nsukka, also dey use her role as telco’s Director of Business to deliver data service to large, small, and medium-scale businesses.

• ⁠ ⁠Mrs. Oyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Broadband Officer at MTN Naija: Oyinye Ikenna-Emeka bi leader for Naija’s telecommunications industry wit over 23 years of experience.

She currently serve as Chief Broadband Officer for MTN Naija.

She spend over 20 years of her career for MTN.

She also serve as General Manager of fixed Broadband and Enterprise Marketing.

Ikenna-Emeka bi international speaker on Women in leadership, Commercial models, and Technology.

She present regularly across various platforms.

She also bi guest faculty memba at di Tekedia Institute and di Pearl Mutual Academy.

Ikenna-Emeka co-found di OIEhub.

She bi Forbis Business Development Council memba and Fellow of di Naija Institute of Marketing Naija (NIMN).

She hold MBA from di University of Manchester, United Kingdom, and bachelor’s degree in Geology from di University of Calabar.

• ⁠ ⁠Ugonwa Nwoye, acting Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Customer Relations Officer for MTN: Ugonwa Nwoye bi acting Chief Marketing Officer for MTN Naija.

She also bi Chief Customer Relations Officer for MTN.

• ⁠Yetunde Ojo, General Manager of IT Operations at MTN Naija: Yetunde Ojo, based in Naija, bi currently di General Manager IT Operations for MTN Naija.

Yetunde Ojo holds a 1984 – 1986 Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for University of Ibadan.

Wit a robust skill set that includes Leadership, Business Development, Customer Service, SQL, Program Management and more.

• ⁠ ⁠Veronica Onoja-Babayemi, Managing Director at Telkos MS: The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says women make up 22% of the total numbir of Engineering and Technology university graduates each year and about a fifth of the total numbir of people working in the ICT sector.
• ⁠ ⁠Bukola Ajayi, General Manager of Architecture and Engineering at MTN Naija: Ajayi, who bi di General Manager of Architecture and Engineering for MTN Naija wey bi di leading ICT company in Naija, get over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry.

She is responsible for designing and implementing new technology solutions to improve MTN’s network infrastructure and operations.

Dem don make name for dem self and contribute well-well to di growth of Naija telecommunications industry.

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