Africa’s leading businessman and Chairman of Globacom Limited, Dr Mike Adenuga Jr., has been voted Entrepreneur of the Decade. He won the award at the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of ThisDay Newspapers held at Eko Hotel in Lagos on Monday night.
His company, Globacom, was also named the Brand of the Decade at the event, which was attended by government officials, captains of industries, political and entertainment heavyweights.
The organizers said that Globacom emerged as Brand of the Decade in the “People’s Choice” category, while Adenuga clinched the Entrepreneur of the Decade award in the Editor’s Choice category.
The Publisher of ThisDay, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, said Dr Adenuga was chosen for the award by the editors of the paper because of his vast contributions to the development of the country’s economy. He explained that Adenuga had, through his investments in critical sectors , such as telecommunications, oil and gas, real estate and banking, become “a major pillar of the Nigerian economy”. Dr. Adenuga is the Chairman of Mike Adenuga Group which includes Globacom Limited, Conoil Plc, Conoil Producing, Continental Oil and Gas Ltd.
On the choice of Globacom as Brand of the Decade, Prince Obaigbena said that the company was selected by the majority of respondents in a poll conducted by the paper. He noted that since the launch of the company in 2003, it had redefined the telecoms landscape through an array of innovative products and services.
Globacom was recently honoured on the global stage, winning the Telecom Brand of the Year Award at the World Branding Forum in Kensington Palace, London.
Mrs. Bella Disu, Globacom’s Executive Vice Chairman, who received the award plaque from Hadiza Bala Usman, Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), said she was delighted to collect the People’s Choice: Brand of the Decade award on behalf of Globacom. She thanked ThisDay and everyone who voted. According to Mrs. Disu, “being affirmed so strongly by those we serve is indeed the highest honour. I thank all our millions of subscribers for their continued support.”