WALE AJISEBUTU’S EXPLOIT IN TELECOMS SECTOR
In the Nigerian telecoms industry, Wale Ajisebutu’s name evokes admiration, respect and envy in equal measure.
He runs 21st Century Technologies, a fixed line telecommunications company that offers voice, data, VSAT solutions, data centre operations and Internet services to the Nigerian public.
His clientele, according to a source, includes some of the largest multinationals, oil and gas firms, hotels as well as several blue chip organisations in the country. From the Lagos offices of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company (Nigeria LNG) to the top banks in the country and the largest manufacturing firms in the city, 21st Century has built a huge customer base that can make his competitors green with envy.
It was gathered that when British Telecoms wanted to offer data communication services to its high networth clients in Nigeria, it reached out to Ajisebutu and signed a 20 billion US dollar deal with his firm. Also his company was contacted when the management of Olokonla LNG Project wanted a reliable data communications network for their operations.
It was also gathered that when Gateway Communications of South Africa, a leading provider of pan-African voice and data connectivity services, wanted to acquire GS Telecom in 2007, in a transaction valued at approximately $37.5 million , Ajisebutu made a bid for the company. But it was unsuccessful. You will be dead wrong if you think that is the end of the story involving Gateway and 21st Century. How? Gateway Telecommunications SA (Pty) Ltd eventually resold the carrier services and business network solutions of GS Telecoms across Africa to Vodacom Group for an enterprise value of approximately US$675 million for 21st Century Technologies owing to its integrity and expertise in the Nigeria