At a Glance
- Bella Disu drives Globacom’s growth, expanding real estate, telecom reach, and corporate influence.
- Globacom disrupted Nigeria’s telecom market by slashing SIM costs and pioneering per-second billing.
- $800 million Glo-1 cable boosted broadband speed and digital access across West Africa.
Globacom, Nigeria’s second-largest telecom operator under the leadership of Nigerian executive Bella Disu, is 22 days away from celebrating its 22nd anniversary—an achievement underscoring two decades of market disruption, infrastructure investment, and inclusive growth.
From license setback to market game-changer
Launched on August 29, 2003, after an initial license revocation and reinstatement, Globacom’s entry into the sector came at a time when SIM cards cost up to $250 and mobile access was limited to Nigeria’s elite. The decision to slash SIM prices and introduce competitive tariffs broke cost barriers and brought millions of Nigerians—urban and rural—into the mobile age.
The company soon upended billing norms, introducing per-second charging, and expanded aggressively across the country, positioning itself as a true national network.
Bold bets on infrastructure
In 2010, Globacom invested over $800 million in Glo-1, a 6,100-mile submarine cable connecting Nigeria directly to the UK and Europe. The project improved broadband speed and reliability across West Africa, solidifying Glo’s role in regional digital transformation.
Today, the company boasts more than 60 million subscribers and is pushing deeper into underserved regions. Its innovations have spanned mobile internet, 4G LTE, Glo TV, cloud services, and most recently, financial inclusion via MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank, which deploys over 100,000 agents to deliver banking to Nigeria’s unbanked population.
Bella Disu’s expanding leadership in the Glo empire
Bella Disu, Executive Vice-Chair of Globacom, is playing a growing role in steering the telecommunications giant and the Adenuga family’s diversified business interests.
She leads Cobblestone Properties, the group’s real estate arm, behind landmark projects such as Ilé Ọjà in Victoria Island and developments in Opebi.
Disu also chairs Abumet Nigeria Limited, which has quadrupled its earnings under her watch, and sits on the board of construction leader Julius Berger, which posted a record N566.2 billion ($365.18 million) revenue in 2024.
Her father, Mike Adenuga, founder of Globacom and Nigeria’s second-richest man with an estimated $6.3 billion fortune, remains a private but influential force in telecoms, oil, and banking.
Philanthropy and legacy
Adenuga’s philanthropic contributions include a N1.5 billion COVID-19 relief fund, $3.8 million in aid for Niger Delta flood victims in 2012, and over $20 million annually for education and sports initiatives.
His foundation sponsors scholarships for underprivileged students—echoing his journey from working as a student taxi driver abroad to building one of Africa’s most successful business empires.
As Globacom approaches its 22nd anniversary, the company’s record of affordability, innovation, and resilience reflects both Adenuga’s founding vision and Disu’s emerging leadership, marking a legacy that has redefined connectivity in Nigeria and beyond.
