Tech Titan Exit: Funke Opeke Steps Down as MainOne MD After $320M Equinix Takeover!
Funke Opeke has stepped down as MainOne’s Managing Director for West Africa, becoming a strategic adviser after the company's merger with Equinix. Wole Abu, formerly of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, will replace her, overseeing Equinix’s West African operations and continuing to build on the region's digital infrastructure. This leadership change follows Equinix's $320 million acquisition of MainOne, a key player in Nigeria's connectivity and tech ecosystem.
Funke Opeke has officially stepped down from her role as Managing Director of MainOne West Africa, weeks after the company completed its post-acquisition integration with Equinix.
Following her resignation, she will transition into a strategic advisory role for the West Africa region. Opeke previously served as CEO of MainOne, which she founded in 2008 and led through more than a decade of expansion, including the landmark deployment of the first private submarine cable along the West Coast of Africa in 2010.
Her successor is Wole Abu, who previously held leadership roles across Africa’s digital infrastructure sector, including CEO positions at Liquid Intelligent Technologies Nigeria, Africa Data Centres, and Pan African Towers, as well as Vice President of Sales at Airtel Nigeria.
Abu’s appointment as Managing Director of Equinix’s West African operations comes alongside the launch of a new Equinix data centre in Johannesburg. In his new role, he will oversee operations across the region, strengthen partnerships with local and multinational clients, and expand data centre and fibre capacity under Equinix’s infrastructure strategy.
Equinix Deepens West African Expansion Strategy
Wole Abu has described his appointment as an opportunity to advance Equinix’s long-term vision for digital transformation across Africa. He talked about plans to strengthen connectivity infrastructure, expand access to global digital services, and support businesses in participating more effectively in the global digital economy.
His mandate includes scaling Equinix’s regional footprint through new data centre projects and expanded fibre infrastructure across West Africa.
MainOne, founded by Opeke in 2008, remains one of Nigeria’s most influential connectivity providers, serving major banks, telecom operators, and digital enterprises. Its infrastructure includes extensive fibre networks across southern Nigeria and a submarine cable system linking Nigeria to Portugal, alongside multiple data centres across West Africa.
The company was acquired by Equinix in a $320 million deal announced in 2022, a transaction widely regarded as one of the largest exits in Africa’s technology sector, and recently completed full integration after a two-year migration process.