Olufunke Opeke stands as one of Africa’s most influential women in technology—a visionary whose work has fundamentally reshaped Nigeria’s digital landscape. As the Founder and CEO of MainOne (now part of Equinix), Opeke is widely credited with pioneering the country’s first privately-owned submarine fibre-optic cable, a breakthrough that transformed internet access across West Africa.

Trained as an electrical engineer, Olufunke Opeke built her career at the intersection of innovation, infrastructure, and leadership. After working with global technology firms in the United States, she returned to Nigeria with a clear mission: to close the connectivity gap limiting economic growth, innovation, and global competitiveness. In 2010, MainOne launched a 7,000-kilometre undersea cable from Portugal to Nigeria, later extending connectivity to Ghana and beyond. This bold move drastically reduced the cost of bandwidth and improved internet reliability for millions.

Beyond the technical achievement, Opeke’s leadership represents a powerful narrative of African women’s agency in male-dominated sectors. She navigated regulatory hurdles, scepticism, and capital-intensive challenges with clarity and resolve, proving that women can lead large-scale infrastructure projects and succeed at the highest levels of global business.

Her impact goes beyond cables and data centres. By strengthening digital infrastructure, Olufunke Opeke has enabled startups, fintech companies, creatives, researchers, and everyday users to participate more fully in the digital economy. In essence, she helped lay the foundation for Nigeria’s tech ecosystem as it exists today.

Olufunke Opeke has received numerous international recognitions for her contributions to technology and development, yet she remains deeply committed to Africa’s future. Her story is one of purpose-driven leadership—showing that when African women lead with vision and courage, they do not just break barriers; they build pathways for generations to come.

This week, we celebrate Olufunke Opeke for redefining what is possible in African technology and for inspiring women to lead boldly, think globally, and build sustainably.