After Airtel Nigeria was taken over by an Indian company several years ago, the consensus among industry watchers was that it would be mostly run and dominated by Indian expatriate workers and that the role of Nigerians in the firm would significantly diminish. Little did the analysts know that Sunil Bharti Mittal has his own business model – no wonder he is one of the world’s richest men. Although Indian workers hold one or two key positions in the company, it has largely been dominated by Indigenous workers.
At the helm of the day-to-day running of the company is the Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun Ogunsanya. who has racked up more than three decades of experience from corporate Nigeria. He ran the Coca-Cola Hellenic, Nigeria ( Nigerian Bottling Company)for several years after rising through the ranks to become Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer. City People’s KELECHI OKORIE names some of the Naija Big Boys who run Airtel Nigeria with Ogunsanya.
OLADAPO DOSUNMU
He Joined Airtel in 2013 as Head of Distribution – Sales & Distribution. Holder of an MBA, Marketing from the Lagos State University, He has worked for some of the most reputable organisations and leading corporations in Nigeria like Globacom and Coca Cola HBC. He was Region Sales Manager- East at Coca-Cola and later became the Head of Commercial Projects at the same company. He joined Globacom in 2012, from where he later joined Airtel. He is currently the Regional Operations Director at the company.
MUHAMMAD BASHIR IBRAHIM
He is currently Regional Operations Director (North Region) at the company. He was redeployed to that position in 2017 after he worked as Manager (North Midland). A 1997 Mechanical/Production Engineering graduate of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Ibrahim worked for some of most consequential companies across the country before pitching his tent with Airtel Nigeria. He has garnered more than 20 years of experience in corporate Nigeria.
OLUSINA ADEGOKE
A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, he obtained both his bachelors and masters degree in pharmacy from the same institution. He is currently the Regional Operations Director (Lagos Region) at Airtel. He has garnered almost 25 years experience in the corporate world and in multiple sectors of the Nigeria economy including in telecommunications, finance, FMCG and pharmaceutical industries.
EMEKA OPARAH
Only a few people are as experienced as Oparah in the field of public relations in the telecommunications in Nigeria. He is perhaps the most experienced crisis management expert in Nigeria today, having helped to shepherd the company through several metamorphosis and turbulent corporate squabbles. He has won several awards and recognitions from reputable bodies for his efforts. He joined the company as Econet Wireless in 2002 after heading the corporate affairs department of Cadbury Nigeria Ltd. An Alumnus of The Management School, London, he is a graduate of University Of Nigeria Nsukka. He has risen through the ranks to his current position as a Director. He has been Vice President, Corporate Communications & CSR.
ENITAN DEMLOYE
He has garnered a lot of experience in corporate Nigeria. A graduate of University of Ibadan and North Western University, he has managed some of the biggest brands in Nigeria, having worked for companies like Procter & Gamble, British American Tobacco Company and CocaCola. He was Director, Brands and Customer Experience at Etisalat Nigeria before he joined Airtel. Denloye is an Alumnus of Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management from where he obtained MBA Field of Study Management & Strategy, marketing, finance and analytical consulting
USMAN ABU
An Electrical Electronics Engineering graduate of the University of Benin and an Almunus of the Lagos Business School, he has worked in Airtel almost since inception but left to run Dancom Ltd as Director briefly. He came back to Airtel to become Head, Deployment.
ISMAEL OLALEKAN
He is currently Head, Network and Broadband at Airtel. a graduate of the University of Ibadan and Alumnus of Metropolitan School of Business Management, United Kingdom. He was National Head of Sales at Multichoice Nigeria before he joined Airtel.
TOSIN AGBELUSI
He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University and obtained his Masters Degree from Ladoke Akintola University. He is also an Alumnus of Lagos Business School and London School of Business and Finance. He was Segment Manager at MTN before he joined Airtel as Head, Postpaid Acquisition, Product Pricing, Usage and Retention.
OLADOKUN OYE
He is the Vice President/ Head Direct Sales, Mobile Financial Services & Digital Services. He joined the telecommunications sector in 2002 when he worked for MTN as Corporate Sales Executive/ Account Manager. He later left for the United Kingdom where he worked for some of the biggest corporations. He joined Airtel in 2014 as General Manager, Airtel Enterprise Operations.
TAYO OLADIMEJI
He is the Vice President, Sourcing (Supply Chain Management /Procurement). A chartered accountant since the 90s, he is a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University and a fellow of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers. He worked at West African Portland Cement before he joined Airtel as Econet Wireless in 2002.
OLUWASINA MICHAEL DADA
He is the Head, Enterprise Business, South Region. He is a graduate of University Of Ibadan and an Alumnus of London School of International Business and Lagos Business School. He worked for some of the most reputable companies in the country before he joined Airtel Nigeria.
ADEWUYIWA ASHIRU
He is Senior Manager, Data Services at Airtel Nigeria. He attended Federal University of Technology Minna where he studied Physics/ Electronics. He was Marketing Manager, Data Devices, Propositions and Promotions at MTN Nigeria before he joined Airtel.
EDET UDOH
He is the Senior Manager SME Segment at Airtel Nigeria. He obtained a Master of Business Administration from Delta State University and a Master of Science from Robert Gordon University. He has worked for some of the most reputable multinationals like Nokia and Microsoft. He was the Regional Sales Manager of Microsoft when he joined Airtel In 2014.
TONYE BOHAM
He is Head, Talent Management at Airtel Nigeria. He obtained a B.Sc in Geology from the University Of Port Harcourt and Master in Business Administration from the University of Liverpool. He is also a fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management. He worked for Shell Nigeria before he joined Airtel in 2004. He worked in several positions before his own current designation.
BOBBY IDUOZE
He is Lead, Devices, Home and Broadband. He is a graduate of University of Benin where he obtained B.Sc in Business Administration. He worked at Globacom Ltd before he joined Airtel Nigeria in 2014.
ABIDEMI AJAGBE
He is Head, Wholesale Channel at Airtel Nigeria. He joined Airtel in 2009 from SmithKline Consumer (Nigeria) Ltd where he was Head, Channel Development. He obtained his Post Graduate Programme for Management Development from the University of Cape Town after obtaining a Higher National Diploma from The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
OLAKUNLE KUPOLATI
He is Head, Business Intelligence and Analytics. A graduate of the University of Ado-Ekiti where he obtained a B.Sc in Biochemistry, He obtained Masters in Information Technology from the Ladoke Akintola University. He has worked for some of the most reputable technology companies, including IBM and Huawei Technologies. He was an account manager at IBM before he joined Airtel last year.
OKEY IGWEGBE
He is the Head, New Products Development. An Electrical Engineering graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he joined Airtel as Celtel in 2004 but left to worked briefly at Ericsson Nigeria before joining Airtel again in 2011 as Manager, IT VAS, New Products and Mobile Commerce.
EMEKA ITEGBE
He is the Head, Revenue and Market Planning. he joined Airtel in 2008 from British American Tobacco Company where his last position was Business Planning and Insights Executive. He obtained B.Sc in Economics from the University Of Ibadan.
CHARLES BASSEY
He is the Head, Mobile Financial Services at Airtel Nigeria. He is Chemical Engineering jobs graduate of the University of Lagos and an MBA holder from Lagos State University. He is also an Alumnus of Cranfield School of Management. He joined Airtel in 2008 as Manager Commercial & RSF.
JUDE ADACHA
He is Senior Manager, Revenue Assurance at Airtel Nigeria. An Alumnus of Lagos Business School, he joined Airtel in 2007 when it was still known as Zain Nigeria from Starcomms Ltd where he was an Interconnect Accountant.
IKENNA IKOKU
He is the Head, Interconnect and Carrier Affairs at Airtel Nigeria. An Expert in telecommunications regulatory affairs and Interconnection matters, he is an Electrical /Electronic engineering graduate of the University of Port Harcourt. He joined Airtel in 2005 as Senior Specialist, Technical Regulation.
ADEKUNLE ADEGBOYEGA
An Alumnus of Lagos Business School, he is a Civil Engineering graduate from the University of Ado-Ekiti. He obtained a Master of Business Administration from Alliance Manchester Business School. He joined Airtel Since 2002 when it was known as Econet Wireless and has risen through the ranks, taking up various positions before becoming Head, indirect Sales Channel.
