Olusegun Ogunsanya, Managing Director and CEO, Airtel Nigeria, has been announced as the new Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa Plc.
He is to succeed Raghunath “Raghu” Mandava, as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa; following Raghu Mandava’s informing the Board of his intention to retire.
Ogunsanya will join the Board of Airtel Africa plc with effect from October 1, 2021.
The CEO designate joined Airtel Africa in 2012 as Managing Director and CEO Nigeria and has been responsible for the overall management of our operations in Nigeria, our largest market in Africa.
The new Airtel Africa CEO has more than 25 years’ business management experience in banking, consumer goods and telecoms.
Before joining Airtel in 2012, he held leadership roles at Coca-Cola in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya as managing director and chief executive officer. He has also been the Managing Director of Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (Coca-Cola Hellenic owned) and Group Head, Retail Banking operations at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), covering 28 countries in Africa. He is an electronics engineer and also a chartered accountant.
Raghu Mandava will be retiring as managing director and chief executive officer, as a director of Airtel Africa plc and as a member of the Market Disclosure Committee on September 30, 2021.
Airtel Africa Plc, is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries across Africa.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has hailed the appointment of the new Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa Plc.
In his reaction, the President, in a statement issued Thursday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, said the flag of Nigeria had been hoisted proudly across the African skyline once again with Ogunsanya’s elevation.
Congratulating Ogunsanya, the President said the appointment has once again proven that Nigeria has a surfeit of quality professionals, who can hold their own in any part of the own in any part of the continent, and even beyond.
He stated that with the cognate experience of the new MD/CEO for Africa, which spans consulting, banking, fast moving consumer goods, and telecommunications, he would acquit himself creditably in his new role, and repeat the strides that made him position Airtel Nigeria as the second largest telecommunications company by revenue, serving over 50 million customers.
Buhari urged younger Nigerians to draw inspiration from Ogunsanya, saying with focus, dint of hard work, and resourcefulness, they would reach the peak of whatever careers they have chosen for themselves.
“The reward for hard work is more work,” the President said as he wished Ogunsanya greater successes ahead
