Chief Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr CSG GCON[3] (born 29 April 1953) is a Nigerian billionaire businessman, and the fifth richest person in Africa according to Forbes.[4] His company Globacom is Nigeria's second-largest telecom operator[5] and also has a presence in Ghana and Benin. He owns stakes in the Equitorial Trust Bank and the oil exploration firm Conoil (formerly Consolidated Oil Company).
Mike Adenuga | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 April 1953 |
| Education | Ibadan Grammar School |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupations | |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 7, including Bella Disu |
Forbes estimated his net worth at $6.7 billion as of May 2024.[6]
Early life
editHis father, Oloye Michael Agbolade Adenuga Sr, was a schoolteacher while his mother, Omoba Juliana Oyindamola Adenuga (née Onashile, of Okesopin, Ijebu Igbo), was a businesswoman of royal Ijebu descent.[7] He is Yoruba.[7]
Adenuga received his secondary school education at Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria[8] and Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro, for his Higher School Certificate (HSC). He worked as a taxi driver to help fund his university education.[9] He graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Pace University, New York, with degrees in Business Administration.[10]
Career
editAdenuga made his first million in 1979, at age 26, selling lace and distributing soft drinks.[11] In 1990, he received a drilling license and in 1991, his Consolidated Oil struck oil in the shallow waters of Southwestern Ondo State, making him the first indigenous oil company to do so in commercial quantity.
He was issued a conditional GSM license in 1999.[12] After it was revoked, he received a second one when the government held another auction in 2003.[13][14]
He was named African Entrepreneur of The Year at the first African Telecoms Awards (ATA) in August 2007.[15]
In May 2015, Adenuga made a takeover bid to purchase Ivorian mobile telecom's operator Comium Côte d'Ivoire for $600 million.[16]
Honours
editIn 2012, he was made Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger by the government of Nigeria.[17]
He holds a Yoruba tribal chieftaincy as the "Otunba Apesin" of the Ijebu clan.[18]
In 2018, he was decorated with the insignia of a Commander of the Legion of Honour by President Emmanuel Macron of France.[19]
Adenuga was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2019.[20]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Adetutu Audu (8 July 2017). "Mike Adenuga's daughter weds". The Nation. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ Tayo Oyediji (5 November 2018). "The Intimate Lifestyle Of Mike Adenuga's Wife Revealed". CityPeople. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ Iwenjora, Fred (10 August 2018). "Why The French President Honoured Mike Adenuga With The Highest Honour". Vanguard. Nigeria. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ "Africa's Billionaires". Forbes. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ "Glo reclaims position as Nigeria's 2nd largest telecom operator". The Cable. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Mike Adenuga". Forbes. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ a b Ajiboye, Kayode (29 April 2019). "Mike Adenuga: 66 Cheers To A Media Guru". Independent Newspapers Nigeria. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ "OPINION: Decoding Mike Adenuga, Africa's most private billionaire". Vanguard News. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- ^ "Spotlight on Mike Adenuga: Why Is He Called "The Bull"?". Ventures Africa. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ "Mike Adenuga". Forbes. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- ^ "Mike Adenuga". Forbes. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ "Mike Adenuga: The man with the Midas touch". Tribune Online. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
- ^ "African Success : Biography of Mike Adenuga". www.africansuccess.org. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
- ^ "Globacom @ 10: A Remarkable Story". This Day Live. Nigeria. 29 August 2013. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013.
- ^ Keluro, Caesar (8 November 2011). "Mike Adenuga, An entrepreneur with the nine lives". BusinessNews.
- ^ Nsehe, Mfonobong (4 May 2015). "Nigerian Billionaire Mike Adenuga Offers $600 Million For Ivorian Mobile Phone Company: Report". Forbes. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
- ^ Umoru, Henry (12 September 2012). "Adenuga's GCON well deserved – Presidency". Vanguard. Nigeria. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ Amor, Thomas Imonikhe and Dan (30 April 2019). "Nigeria: Mike Adenuga - 66 Cheers to a Digital Guru (II)". The Guardian (Lagos). Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ Iwenjora, Fred (10 August 2018). "Why The French President Honoured Mike Adenuga With The Highest Honour". Vanguard. Nigeria. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ Africa, Ventures (9 October 2019). "Top 10 Nigerians in Africa Report's 100 most influential Africans". Ventures Africa. Retrieved 15 January 2021.