Airtel Africa CEO Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award

The outgoing CEO of Airtel Africa, Segun Ogunsanya, has been named winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award in the 14th African Business Leadership Awards (ABLA) 2024.

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.

Ogunsanya will be presented with his Lifetime Achievement Award at a special ceremony during the 9th ALM

Africa Summit is taking place from 17-18 July 2024 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.

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).

Commenting on the award, Ogunsanya said: “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.”