Founder & CEO, MainOne Cable Company
Funke Opeke (born 1961, Ibadan, Nigeria) is a pioneering Nigerian electrical engineer and entrepreneur, best known as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MainOne Cable Company, West Africa’s leading communications services and network solutions provider. She is widely recognized for transforming internet connectivity across the region and for her trailblazing role in Africa’s technology sector.
Education & Early Life
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Attended Queen’s School, Ibadan.
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Native of Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, raised in Ibadan.
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Her father was the first Nigerian Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, and her mother was a teacher.
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Earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ìfẹ́ (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
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Obtained a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, New York.
Career Journey
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Began her career in ICT in the United States, serving as Executive Director in Verizon’s Wholesale Division in New York City.
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Returned to Nigeria in 2005 as Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of MTN Nigeria.
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Briefly served as Chief Operating Officer of NITEL and adviser at Transcorp.
Founding MainOne
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In 2008, Opeke founded MainOne after identifying Nigeria’s poor internet connectivity as a barrier to growth.
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MainOne built West Africa’s first privately-owned, open-access, high-capacity submarine cable system, a 7,000 km undersea cable stretching from Portugal to Lagos, with landings in Accra (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal), and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire).
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In 2015, MainOne launched Nigeria’s largest Tier III Data Center, further strengthening the region’s digital infrastructure.
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Expanded submarine cable connectivity into Cameroon, reinforcing MainOne’s role as a regional leader.
Awards & Recognition
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2012 – CNBC All Africa Businesswoman of the Year
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2013 – Named among Africa’s Most Powerful Women in Technology
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2018 – Featured on Forbes’ World’s Top 50 Women in Tech list
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2022 – Awarded Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by the Nigerian government
Key Legacy
Funke Opeke’s vision and determination have positioned MainOne
