Wole will oversee the Equinix business in Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, working closely with both local and international businesses to build on the strong foundations for connectivity and growth in the region.
Equinix, the world’s digital infrastructure company and CIO South Africa’s Executive Partner, has appointed Wole Abu as its managing director in West Africa to lead the integration and expansion of the business. Wole will oversee the Equinix business in Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and will work closely with both local businesses and multinational companies to build on the strong foundations for connectivity and growth in the region, bringing the opportunity of Equinix to the West African region.
Wole’s appointment as managing director for Equinix’s West African business follows shortly after the business launched its JN1 state-of-the-art, $160 million (R3 billion) international business exchange (IBX) data centre in Johannesburg.
“I’m excited to be joining Equinix, as we share a common vision for expanding digital infrastructure across Africa. This mission is crucial for bringing life-enhancing services to the region and bridging the digital divide. By empowering both enterprises and individuals, we’re enabling broader participation in the global digital economy. I’m eager to contribute to this transformative work and help create a more connected, accessible digital landscape throughout Africa,” said Wole.
Wole is a seasoned professional with over 20 years’ experience in the Nigerian Telecoms Industry. He joins Equinix from Liquid Intelligent Technologies where he held the position of CEO for Nigeria and Africa Data Centre (ADC). As well as driving business success, Wole is passionate about driving societal and social change through technology and is focused on driving a successful strategy for connectivity and digital access in West Africa.
Wole will also lead Equinix’s key local engagements to make a meaningful impact to society through the support of initiatives focused on education, sustainability and the betterment of society as well as driving the vital environmental and community initiatives so crucial to the sustainable goals and vision of Equinix.
“We are delighted to have Wole join Equinix as the leader driving our operations in West Africa. With his expertise, we will support local businesses and multinational companies in expanding into Africa and beyond through Equinix. This marks a significant milestone for Equinix as we continue to develop our presence in Africa, establishing crucial strategic data hubs, accelerating digital technology development, supporting our customers, and contributing to the continent’s immense growth potential through robust digital infrastructure,” commented Judith Gardiner, vice president for growth and emerging markets at Equinix on Wole’s appointment.
Wole holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Benin and an MBA from Lagos Business school. He has also participated in Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT’s) digital transformation programmes, including AI and IoT, blockchain, cloud and cybersecurity.
