Biography
Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr CSG GCON General Manager (born 29 April 1953) is a Nigerian influential businessman, known by his stage name Mike Adenuga.
He is a billionaire and the third richest person in Africa after Egypt’s Nassef Sawiris and Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote.
He is the founder of telecommunications company Globacom, which is Nigeria’s second largest telecommunications operator and has a presence in other West African countries such as Ghana and Benin Republic.
Mike Adenuga also owns shares in Equitorial Trust Bank and oil exploration company Conoil (formerly Consolidated Oil Company).
Nigerian businessman
Mike Adenuga |
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 Mike Adenuga: History • Biography • Photos |
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| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| Real name: | Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr |
| Stage name: | Mike Adenuga |
| Born: | April 29, 1953 (age 71) |
| Place of birth: | Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria |
| State of origin: | Oyo State |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Height: | 1.73 meters |
| Parents: | Michael Agbolade Adenuga Sr, Juliana Oyindamola |
| Siblings: | Demola Adenuga, Otunba Adenuga |
| Wife • Husband/wife: | Adefolake Emilia Adenuga, Titi Joyce Adenuga |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Do not have |
| The children: | Adenuga Rice, Bella Disu, Eniola Adenuga, Adetutu Oyindamola Emilia, Michael Babajide Adenuga, Abimbola Adenuga, Sade Adenuga, Adeniyi Adenuga, Folashade Adenuga |
| Job: | Businessmen |
| Net worth: | 6.8 billion USD |
Early life and education
Mike Adenuga was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria on April 29, 1953. He is of Yoruba ancestry. He has two siblings named Demola Adenuga and Otunba Adenuga. Is he related to Wale Adenuga? The answer is no and there is no verified publication to support this claim.
His father, Oloye Michael Agbolade Adenuga Sr., was a school teacher, while his mother, Omoba Juliana Oyindamola Adenuga, was a businesswoman from the Ijebu royal family.
Mike Adenuga completed his secondary education at Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, and went on to study at the General Senior Secondary School, Aiyetoro, for his Senior Secondary Certificate (HSC). He worked as a taxi driver to fund his university education at the time.
His efforts paid off as he graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Pace University, New York with a degree in Business Administration.
Career
Mike Adenuga made his first million dollars in 1979, at the age of 26, selling lace and distributing soft drinks. In 1990, he was granted a drilling permit. In 1991, Consolidated Oil found oil in the shallow waters of the southwestern state of Ondo, becoming the first indigenous oil company to do so in commercial quantities.
He was also granted a conditional GSM license in 1999, although it was later revoked. However, he received a second license when the government held another auction in 2003. He immediately founded a telecommunications company called Globacom, which expanded rapidly and began to challenge the telecommunications giant and its biggest rival MTN Group in the communications industry.
Globacom launched its service in the Republic of Benin in 2008 and has since expanded to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, with more licenses currently in the pipeline in other West African countries.
Mike Adenuga’s hard work was recognized when he was named African Entrepreneur of the Year at the inaugural African Telecommunications Awards (ATA) in August 2007.
In May 2015, he made a sensational bid to acquire Ivory Coast’s mobile telecommunications company Comium Côte d’Ivoire for US$600 million.
Awards & Recognition
Mike Adenuga has received numerous awards, honors and recognitions, both locally and internationally, in recognition of his great deeds. In 2012, the Globacom CEO was appointed Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) by the Nigerian government, led by then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
He also holds the Yoruba tribal chieftainship as Otunba Apesin of the Ijebu clan. In 2018, he was awarded the Legion of Honor by President Emmanuel Macron of France.
In 2019, Mike Adenuga was named one of the 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine and was named African Entrepreneur of the Year by the ATA in 2007.
The Nigerian business magnate was also honoured with the Companion of the Star of Ghana (CSG) award in 2018 and was named one of the 100 Most Outstanding and Respected Nigerians in 2018.
Social media
Business magnate and owner of telecommunications giant Globalcom Mike Adenuga has an active Instagram account @mikeadenuga26.
However, his Facebook and Twitter accounts have been verified.
Personal life
Mike Adenuga has two wives, Adefolake Emilia Adenuga and Titi Joyce Adenuga, with whom he has seven children (five daughters and two sons). His first wife is in between the two.
His sons are Michael Babajide Adenuga, Eniola Adenuga and Paddy Adenuga, while his daughters are Abimbola Adenuga, Adetutu Oyindamola Emilia and Bella Disu.
Mike Adenuga’s children are Paddy Adenuga, Bella Disu, Eniola Adenuga, Adetutu Oyindamola Emilia, Michael Babajide Adenuga, Abimbola Adenuga, Sade Adenuga, Adeniyi Adenuga and Folashade Adenuga.
Net worth
Forbes estimates Mike Adenuga’s net worth at $6.8 billion. He is currently the third richest man in Africa, earning his income from oil companies, business ventures, and telecommunications company Globacom.
He also owns shares in Equitorial Trust Bank and oil exploration company Conoil (formerly Consolidated Oil Company).
