{{Short description|Nigerian businessman (born 1953)}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = Chief | name = Mike Adenuga | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GHA|CSG|size=100%}} {{post-nominals|country=NGA|GCON|size=100%}} | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1953|4|29}} | birth_place = Ibadan, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now in Oyo State, Nigeria) | death_date = | death_place = | education = Ibadan Grammar School | alma_mater = {{plainlist| *Northwestern Oklahoma State University *Pace University }} | occupation = {{plainlist| *Founder of Globacom *Chairman of Conoil }} | spouse = {{plainlist| *Adefolake Emilia Adenuga<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thenationonlineng.net/mike-adenugas-daughter-weds/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Mike Adenuga's daughter weds|author=Adetutu Audu|date=July 8, 2017|access-date=January 20, 2019|newspaper=The Nation}}</ref> *Titi Joyce Adenuga<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.citypeopleonline.com/the-intimate-lifestyle-of-mike-adenugas-wife-revealed/|publisher=CityPeople|title=The Intimate Lifestyle Of Mike Adenuga's Wife Revealed|author=Tayo Oyediji|date=November 5, 2018|access-date=January 20, 2019}}</ref> }} | children = 7, including Bella Disu | parents = | relatives = | website = }} Chief '''Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr''' {{Audio|LL-Q34311 (yor)-Tunmise123-Mike Adenuga.wav|Listen|help=no}}{{post-nominals|country=GHA|CSG}} {{post-nominals|country=NGA|GCON}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/why-french-president-honored-mike-adenuga-with-highest-honor/|title=Why The French President Honoured Mike Adenuga With The Highest Honour|last=Iwenjora|first=Fred|date=10 August 2018|location=Nigeria|access-date=28 February 2020|newspaper=Vanguard}}</ref> (born 29 April 1953) is a Nigerian billionaire businessman, and the fifth richest person in Africa according to Forbes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Africa's Billionaires|url=https://www.forbes.com/africa-billionaires/list/|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2020-05-03}}</ref> His company Globacom is Nigeria's second-largest telecom operator<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-11-02 |title=Glo reclaims position as Nigeria's 2nd largest telecom operator |url=https://www.thecable.ng/glo-reclaims-position-as-nigerias-2nd-largest-telecom-operator/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |newspaper=TheCable}}</ref> and also has a presence in Ghana and Benin. He owns stakes in the Equitorial Trust Bank and the oil exploration firm Conoil (formerly Consolidated Oil Company).
''Forbes'' estimated his net worth at $6.7 billion as of May 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mike Adenuga |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/ |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== His father, Oloye Michael Agbolade Adenuga Sr, was a schoolteacher while his mother, Omoba Juliana Oyindamola Adenuga (née Onashile, of Okesopin, Ijebu Igbo), was a businesswoman of royal Ijebu descent.<ref name="independent.ng">{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ng/mike-adenuga-66-cheers-to-a-media-guru/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Mike Adenuga: 66 Cheers To A Media Guru|last=Ajiboye|first=Kayode|date=2019-04-29|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-05-03|newspaper=Independent}}</ref> He is a Yoruba.<ref name="independent.ng"/>
Adenuga received his secondary school education at Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-01-03 |title=OPINION: Decoding Mike Adenuga, Africa's most private billionaire |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/opinion-decoding-mike-adenuga-africas-most-private-billionaire/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-03-06 |newspaper=Vanguard|language=en-US}}</ref> and Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro, for his Higher School Certificate (HSC). He worked as a taxi driver to help fund his university education.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.ventures-africa.com/2012/05/spotlight-on-mike-adenuga-why-is-he-called-the-bull/ | title= Spotlight on Mike Adenuga: Why Is He Called "The Bull"?|website=Ventures Africa|date=5 May 2012|access-date=21 June 2013}}</ref> He graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Pace University, New York, with degrees in Business Administration.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mike Adenuga |url=https://www.forbes.com/nft-profile/mike-adenuga/ |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
==Career== Adenuga made his first million in 1979, at age 26, selling lace and distributing soft drinks.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga.|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?list=africa-billionaires#c36469755e38 |website=Forbes |access-date=12 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In 1990, he received a drilling license and in 1991, his Consolidated Oil struck oil in the shallow waters of Southwestern Ondo State, making him the first indigenous oil company to do so in commercial quantity.
He was issued a conditional GSM license in 1999.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-11-28 |title=Mike Adenuga: The man with the Midas touch |url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/mike-adenuga-the-man-with-the-midas-touch/ |access-date=2022-03-10 |newspaper=Nigerian Tribune|language=en-GB}}</ref> After it was revoked, he received a second one when the government held another auction in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.africansuccess.org/visuFiche.php?lang=en&id=793|title=African Success : Biography of Mike Adenuga|author=|date=|website=www.africansuccess.org|access-date=10 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805022800/http://www.africansuccess.org/visuFiche.php?lang=en&id=793|archive-date=5 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Globacom @ 10: A Remarkable Story |url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/globacom-10-a-remarkable-story/157510/ |location=Nigeria |date=29 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901055616/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/globacom-10-a-remarkable-story/157510 |archive-date=1 September 2013 |df=dmy-all |newspaper=This Day}}</ref>
He was named ''African Entrepreneur of The Year'' at the first African Telecoms Awards (ATA) in August 2007.<ref>{{cite news |last=Keluro|first=Caesar|title=Mike Adenuga, An entrepreneur with the nine lives|url=http://businessnews.com.ng/2011/11/08/mike-adenuga-an-entrepreneur-with-the-nine-lives/|work=BusinessNews|date=8 November 2011 }}</ref>
In May 2015, Adenuga made a takeover bid to purchase Ivorian mobile telecom's operator Comium Côte d'Ivoire for $600 million.<ref name="Forbes: Nigerian Billionaire Mike Adenuga Offers $600 Million For Ivorian Mobile Phone Company: Report">{{cite web|last1=Nsehe|first1=Mfonobong|title=Nigerian Billionaire Mike Adenuga Offers $600 Million For Ivorian Mobile Phone Company: Report|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2015/05/04/nigerian-billionaire-mike-adenuga-offers-600-million-for-ivorian-mobile-phone-company/|work=Forbes|access-date=28 May 2015|date=4 May 2015}}</ref>
==Honours== In 2012, he was made Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger by the government of Nigeria.<ref>{{cite news |last=Umoru|first=Henry|title=Adenuga's GCON well deserved – Presidency |url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/adenugas-gcon-well-deserved-presidency/|location=Nigeria |date=12 September 2012|access-date=26 July 2013 |newspaper=Vanguard}}</ref>
He holds a Yoruba tribal chieftaincy as the "Otunba Apesin" of the Ijebu clan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201904300209.html|title=Nigeria: Mike Adenuga - 66 Cheers to a Digital Guru (II)|last=Amor|first=Thomas Imonikhe and Dan|date=2019-04-30|work=The Guardian (Lagos)|access-date=2019-05-03}}</ref>
In 2018, he was decorated with the insignia of a Commander of the Legion of Honour by President Emmanuel Macron of France.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/why-french-president-honored-mike-adenuga-with-highest-honor/|title=Why The French President Honoured Mike Adenuga With The Highest Honour|last=Iwenjora|first=Fred|date=10 August 2018 |location=Nigeria|access-date=29 February 2020|newspaper=Vanguard}}</ref>
Adenuga was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Africa|first=Ventures|date=2019-10-09|title=Top 10 Nigerians in Africa Report's 100 most influential Africans|url=http://venturesafrica.com/top-10-nigerians-in-africa-reports-100-most-influential-africans/|access-date=2021-01-15|website=Ventures Africa|language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== *List of Yoruba people
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://mikeadenugafoundation.org/}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adenuga, Mike}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:Yoruba businesspeople Category:Yoruba royalty Category:Businesspeople from Ibadan Category:Nigerian businesspeople in the oil industry Category:Businesspeople in the telecommunications industry Category:Nigerian billionaires Category:Northwestern Oklahoma State University alumni Category:Pace University alumni Category:Nigerian expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:Recipients of Nigerian presidential pardons Category:20th-century Nigerian businesspeople Category:21st-century Nigerian businesspeople Category:Nigerian royalty Category:Grand Commanders of the Order of the Niger Category:Ibadan Grammar School alumni Category:Nigerian investors Category:Taxi drivers Category:Nigerian chairpersons of corporations