Funke Opeke, founder and CEO of Nigerian internet connectivity giant MainOne, has stepped down from her role after 14 years – two years after digital infrastructure business Equinix bought her company, albeit news reports indicate that the completion of MainOne’s full integration with Equinix, was more recent, taking place this month.
MainOne will retain its brand as MainOne, Solutions by Equinix, while its data centre division, MDXi, will operate under the Equinix name.
So what happens now? The purchase of MainOne gave Equinix a foothold in Nigeria's growing data centre market and news reports suggest that Equinix will leverage the company's infrastructure and reputation to expand across Africa. Indeed, as we reported at the time, in late October this year it opened its first international business exchange (IBX) data centre in South Africa.
Among specific plans cited by news reports, Equinix apparently aims to boost its service capacity in West Africa, building on MainOne’s extensive submarine cable and data centre infrastructure, which includes MDXi, one of Nigeria’s most secure and advanced data centres.
Equinix has already announced significant Nigerian investments, including plans to establish additional data centres in Victoria Island, Lekki and Port Harcourt by 2026. This expanded infrastructure is anticipated to meet West Africa's increasing demand for data solutions, driven by rapid digital adoption across sectors like finance, media and government.
Funke Opeke founded MainOne in 2010 and then launched a landmark submarine cable that significantly enhanced internet capacity in West Africa. The company became a trusted provider of broadband services to governments, enterprises and ISPs across Nigeria and beyond. Under Opeke’s leadership, many news reports point out, MainOne was instrumental in driving digital inclusion and supporting the continent’s burgeoning tech industry.
The TechCabal news service says Opeke will transition into a strategic advisory role for the West African region through March 2026.
As for MainOne, Wole Abu is stepping in as managing director of the Equinix West Africa business, replacing Opeke. In his new role Abu will oversee Equinix’s West African operations, fostering partnerships with local and multinational companies to enhance connectivity and support regional growth. His responsibilities will include leveraging Equinix’s resources to advance the digital landscape in West Africa. He previously served as CEO for Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Nigeria and the Africa Data Centre, with prior roles at Airtel and Pan African Towers.
The future of the Equinix business model is a promising one. Africa is a high-potential region where internet penetration and digital needs are growing, yet more telecoms infrastructure is required to meet those needs. There are still many opportunities for Equinix.
