* The awards showcase Africa’s businesses and leaders, celebrating exemplary business leadership on the continent
* Ogunsanya’s landmark contributions towards advancing Africa’s socio-economic growth and development include his 12-year career at Airtel Africa
* He ran the Nigeria operations of the telecommunications and mobile money company for nine years before his appointment as CEO of the Group in 2021
By Duncan Mlanjira
Segun Ogunsanya, the outgoing chief executive officer (CEO) of Airtel Africa Plc, has been named winner of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in the 14th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) 2024.
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In a statement, Airtel Africa says the awards are a flagship annual recognition event run by Africa Leadership Magazine (ALM), “aimed at honouring exceptional corporate practice and outstanding achievers in Africa’s business landscape and private sector”.
“The awards showcase Africa’s businesses and leaders, celebrating exemplary business leadership on the continent,” said the statement, adding that Ogunsanya will be presented the award at a special ceremony during the 9th ALM Africa Summit to take place from July 17-18 at the UK House of Lords.
The theme of this year’s Summit is ‘Africa Unleashed: Navigating Disruptions, Enhancing Opportunities’, “with policymakers, private sector leaders, civil society leaders, thought leaders and stakeholders from across Africa and the rest of the world expected to attend”.
Airtel Africa chronicles that Ogunsanya’s landmark contributions towards advancing Africa’s socio-economic growth and development include his 12-year career at Airtel Africa.
“He ran the Nigeria operations of the telecommunications and mobile money company for nine years before his appointment as CEO of the Group in 2021.
“With deep knowledge of the continent, coupled with extensive distribution experience, he led the company in maintaining double-digit revenue growth over many quarters and in delivering new, innovative products to its customers across Africa.
“Segun has more than 35 years’ business management experience in banking, consumer goods and telecoms. Before joining Airtel Africa in 2012, he held leadership roles at Coca-Cola Bottling operations in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya (as MD and CEO).
“Segun has also been the Managing Director of Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (Coca-Cola Hellenic owned) and Group head of retail banking operations at Ecobank Transnational Inc, covering 28 countries in Africa. He is an electronics engineer and a chartered accountant.”
The decorated CEO is quoted as saying: “I am truly humbled by this recognition alongside such other distinguished Africans. It truly belongs to all those who have been on the journey with me at various times.
“My career has been focused on serving the needs of people across the continent, most recently through enhanced digital and financial inclusion. I remain determined to help make Africa a better place for its people, and hope my journey inspires the next generation of Africa’s business leaders.”
Meeting President Lazarus Chakwera on one of his visit to Malawi
Ogunsanya will retire from Airtel Africa on July 1 and will become the Airtel Africa Charitable Foundation’s inaugural chairperson, building on the work undertaken during his time as CEO, including the launch of the company’s first sustainability strategy.
Dr Ken Giami, chairperson of the African Leadership Organisation and publisher of the African Leadership Magazine, is quoted as saying: “Our award winners exemplify the spirit of innovation, resilience and excellence driving growth and development across the continent.”
Airtel Africa is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries in Africa, primarily in East, Central and West Africa.
The multinational offers an integrated suite of telecommunications solutions to its subscribers, including mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services both nationally and internationally.
The Group pledges to continue providing a simple and intuitive customer experience through streamlined customer journeys.
One highlight that Ogunsanya will be remembered with is through Airtel Africa’s academic partnership with UNICEF that rolled out digital learning for children by connecting schools to the internet and ensuring free access to learning platforms.
On his visit to Kitende Secondary School in Entebbe, Uganda last year, one of the schools connected to the internet by the mobile telecommunications operator, Ogunsanya reaffirmed that the joint commitment aims to ensure that every child reaches their full potential.
In a statement then, Ogunsanya was quoted as saying: “Airtel Africa is cognizant of the great value education contributes to our nations across the continent, which is why we are very deliberate in promoting education and empowering our people.”
With UNICEF Malawi, Airtel Malawi Plc announced a 5-year school connectivity project last year in support of the Ministry of Education’s ‘Connect-a-School’ programme which aims to equip public schools with state-of-the-art technology.
Malawi’s beneficiaries Nyungwe and Mzimba CDSS
The project is in line with the Ministry’s pursuit of its priority interventions in digitalising education as outlined in the MW2063 national development strategy and highlighted in the MW2063 First 10-year Implementation Plan (MIP- 1) under Human Capital Development Enabler 5.
The state-of-the-art technology will enable students to access a range of advanced technological tools for the purpose of gaining and generating new knowledge and skills with which to transform their futures.
In support of this vision, Airtel Malawi and its partner UNICEF, initially equipped nine selected schools with HD Smart TVs and tablets, backed by free internet connectivity for the duration of the project, to facilitate interactive and engaging multimedia experiences for learners.
The tablets were loaded with approved subject matter content including the virtual science lab application (MiLab App) developed by Mzuzu University students for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) academic subjects experimentation and simulations.
This technology, said Airtel Malawi in a statement, and the free internet connectivity provided to the schools, will foster personalized learning and allow access to a wealth of other educational apps and digital resources by both teachers and learners thus enhancing their 21st Century educational experience.
For the first year of the project, Airtel Malawi channeled K117 million through UNICEF Malawi to procure nine state of the art Smart TV’s, 180 tablets and 9 desktop computers for nine schools as recommended by the Ministry of Education.
The first cohort of beneficiary comprises Mangochi Secondary School in Mangochi, Linthipe Secondary School in Dedza, Chiwamba CDSS in Lilongwe, Nyungwe CDSS in Karonga, Kasakula CDSS in Ntchisi, Mzimba LEA in Mzimba, Chambe CDSS in Mulanje, Ligowe CDSS in Neno and Masenjere Primary School in Nsanje.
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