Woman-at-the-Top: The Strength of Character in Funke Opeke

HighLife

Diligence will be recognised anytime and anywhere. This is a lesson that some of us have learnt the hard way, while others have already made a way of life. Funke Opeke, an electrical engineer of note, founder of Main Street Technologies and Chief Executive Officer of Main One Cable Company, belongs to the latter category. Even now, at a time when women are claiming the best spots for themselves, Opeke continues to stand out as one of the few in the tech industry.

The best news recently blew across Nigeria. According to the report, the prestigious digital infrastructure company, Equinix, had acquired Opeke’s company, MainOne, in a juicy deal. The report held that Equinix had secured Opeke’s company for $320 million. This enterprise value, by a long stretch, is one of the most sensational acquisitions in Nigeria’s tech industry in the whole of 2021.

Equinix’s acquisition of MainOne is part of its campaign to expand into Africa. One can only say that the company has made the best choice by riding on Opeke’s coattails. After all, Opeke built MainOne from the ground up in 2010 and has, in a little over a decade, established three working data centers in Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

Informed folks cannot help but admire Opeke’s finesse and far-sightedness. With Equinix taking over the reins of the company, Opeke will be able to easily advance her goals of improving data connectivity across all of Africa. One individual or company’s resources may be limited, but what happens when another formidable company comes into the picture?

This is why Opeke is being hailed as one of the most progressive minds in Nigeria’s business industry. In an industry with daring men and women, some of whose educational qualifications, pedigree and achievements can replace the moon on the night sky, Opeke has placed herself at the very top.
When they talk of women with their own gravity, Opeke should be named and numbered. This is a woman with a grand momentum.