FUNKE OPEKE
FUNKE OPEKE
TITLE : CEO & FOUNDER COMPANY : MAINONE INDUSTRY : COMMUNICATIONS LOCATION : NIGERIA
After 20 years working in US telecoms , Funke Opeke returned to Nigeria to support the nation ’ s Internet ventures . She raised US $ 240m in funding and laid 4,400 miles of fibre optic cable from Nigeria to Portugal and is credited for helping the nation becomea hub for international business . She resigned as MainOne CEO in November 2024 .
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“ You need to dare to be ,” Funke said at the Uzemu Leadership Summit 1.0 . “ A commitment to excellence in everything you do goes a long way overtime . I hope in most of our engineering programmes today , women are now better represented .”
As a result of her trailblazing efforts , she has received numerous awards and accolades , mostly for her contributions to internet growth in Nigeria . These include making the Africa ’ s Most Powerful Women in Technology list in 2013 and becoming an Officer of the Order of the Niger ( OON ) in 2022 .
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