Business

BREAKING:Globacom CEO Ahmad Farroukh Resigns Amid Governance Challenges

Globacom’s leadership void following Farroukh’s departure will raise questions about the company’s ability to navigate its ongoing internal challenges and regain its competitive edge.

Published

2 years ago

January 21, 2025

OCHEFA

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Ahmad Farroukh, the CEO of Nigerian telecom giant Globacom, has resigned after just one month in the role, multiple sources close to the matter confirmed.

While Globacom has not issued an official statement or communicated the resignation internally, several industry insiders suggest the decision was linked to significant challenges within the company’s organizational structure.

Techcabal reports that Farroukh’s departure was tied to problems with the organizational setup. A top-level executive at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) who asked not to be named confirmed Farroukh’s exit but declined to share specifics.

Farroukh’s abrupt resignation highlights significant internal challenges at the company, which has long been criticized for its centralized decision-making process.

According to a former Globacom executive, the company’s founder, Mike Adenuga, is key to most decisions within the company.

Adenuga has managed the telecom giant alongside his other business interests, including oil and gas, financial services, and real estate, with minimal structural separation between his other ventures and Globacom’s operations.

This approach has historically worked for the company but may have presented obstacles for Farroukh, whose experience at more structured organizations like MTN and Airtel might have led him to expect a different level of operational autonomy.

Farroukh’s departure also comes when Globacom is facing heightened regulatory scrutiny.

In late 2024, the NCC’s sector audit revealed that over 40 million subscribers were not properly registered with their National Identification Numbers (NIN), violating government regulations.

This led to a significant loss of market share, with Globacom’s share of the Nigerian mobile market shrinking by approximately 60%, leaving it with just 12%.

Globacom has also faced ongoing cybersecurity issues, including a high-profile hack in 2023 that exposed the personal data of millions of its subscribers.

These issues may have created an environment where Farroukh’s leadership efforts could not make a meaningful impact quickly.

“A CEO leaving in one month is unprecedented in the industry. The NCC can investigate the reason for his exit. The commission can seek an explanation from the CEO, who is not obligated to respond, or from the company because this is about corporate governance, which the NCC Act covers,” said Ayoola Oke, a former Adviser to the former Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Ernest Ndukwe.

Globacom’s leadership void following Farroukh’s departure will raise questions about the company’s ability to navigate its ongoing internal challenges and regain its competitive edge.

Without significant structural changes, it is unclear how Globacom can address the organizational weaknesses that led to Farroukh’s exit.

Related Topics:Featured Globacom CEO Ahmad Farroukh resigns

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Business

China Woos Nigeria To Join WAICO Memberships For Technology Advantages

African countries on the memberships list include South Africa, Kenya, Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia and Algeria.

Published

8 minutes ago

September 24, 2026

OCHEFA

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The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has emphasised the need for Nigeria to join the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) to share in global tech development.

The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) is an international organization focused on artificial intelligence (AI) established in July 2026. Proposed by China before its 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, it is headquartered in Shanghai and oriented toward the Global South.

Twenty-nine countries signed the founding agreement on 16 July 2026 in Shanghai, followed by eight additional signatories later that month, bringing the total membership to 37 countries.

African countries on the memberships list include South Africa, Kenya, Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia and Algeria.

WAICO is believed to have been set up to rival the US-led Pax Silica initiative, aiming to counterbalance Western influence across global supply chains for rare-earth elements, semiconductors, and AI governance.

Ambassador Yu made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during an event celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, which shares its October 1st National Day with Nigeria.

Speaking at the evening reception, Ambassador Yu said, ” Those who walk the same path go far. Let us empower development through innovation, openness, and sincere cooperation to continuously enrich China-Nigeria friendship and write a new chapter in China-Africa relations.”

Regarding 55 years of diplomatic ties with Nigeria, Yu noted that both nations have grown closer through mutual respect and shared success.

“Under the strategic leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our relationship has entered the fast lane,” he said.

Business

Otedola bypasses seven African billionaires as fortune hits $2 billion

The rise also ends his old tag as Africa’s poorest billionaire.

Published

6 hours ago

September 24, 2026

OCHEFA

13 Views

Femi Otedola’s fortune has risen to $2 billion, lifting the First HoldCo chairman above eight other African billionaires on Forbes’ real-time wealth index.

The new valuation is a $700 million jump from the $1.3 billion attributed to him at the start of 2026.

Forbes’ real-time billionaires index now ranks Otedola 2,115th globally, up from $1.8 billion in August.

The rise also ends his old tag as Africa’s poorest billionaire.

Based on the wealth estimates supplied for September 2026, Otedola’s $2 billion places him ahead of eight African billionaires.

They are South Africa’s Christoffel Wiese at $1.9 billion and Egypt’s Youssef Mansour at $1.8 billion.

Morocco’s Othman Benjelloun and family are valued at $1.7 billion, the same as South Africa’s Paul van Zuydam. Morocco’s Aziz Akhannouch and family sit at $1.6 billion.

Egypt’s Samih Sawiris and Yasseen Mansour, alongside Morocco’s Anas Sefrioui and family, complete the eight, each estimated at $1.4 billion.

The comparisons rest on the supplied valuations and can shift with share prices and other assets.