In line with its transformation agenda, the board of directors of Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), operating as 9mobile, has appointed Ayodeji Adedeji as the new chief technical and information officer (CTIO) for the company.
Adedeji has over 25 years of industry experience in network operations, network architecture, service delivery management, and network design and planning. His expertise spans 4G, 5G, and IP technologies, including Data Centers, with experience spanning Europe, The Caribbean, USA and Africa.
He joins 9mobile from Airtel Nigeria where he was the general manager, network services, and led a team of over 100 people overseeing circuit switched and packet switched core operations, BSS nodes operations, IN, and VAS network operations. He had successfully managed the implementation of VOLTE/IMS/5G Core NSA consisting of both cloud native and vendor proprietary equipment, and ensured network capacity across core nodes.
Commenting on the appointment of the new CTIO, 9mobile CEO, Obafemi Banigbe, said: “We’re excited to welcome Ayodeji to the 9mobile family. His appointment marks a pivotal moment in 9mobile’s technical and engineering innovation journey. It is a major part of our business transformation process which has also seen the recent appointment of Abolaji Idowu as the Chief Finance Officer (CFO).”
Banigbe highlighted the positive impact Adedeji will bring to scaling the 9mobile network and providing good Quality Service to its customers. “We are confident that his experience in guiding companies through substantial growth and in navigating complex challenges will be beneficial to our organization. He will be an important member of our senior leadership team, providing direction as we continue to expand and execute our growth strategy,” he said.
Adedeji’s rich industry career has seen him rise through the ranks from network architect and strategy to network design, planning and optimisation, and network engineering, driving transformative growth at companies like Hargray Communications, Ericsson, Etisalat Nigeria, and most recently, Airtel Nigeria.
Additionally, he has been responsible for business continuity, enterprise planning, and network security, leading to ISO 23001 certification. Known for his passion for new technologies and innovation, Adedeji is committed to driving technological advancement and operational excellence.
Speaking on his new role, Adedeji said, “I am honoured to take on the role of chief technical and information officer and excited to collaborate with the talented team at 9mobile to drive innovation, harness technology, and deliver impactful solutions that will propel growth. My focus will be to drive a digital-first, customer-centric approach across all our operations by delivering a world-class digital and technology infrastructure to accelerate the growth of the network and bring delight to our customers.”
He holds a BSc in electrical engineering (digital telecommunications) from the University of Lagos. He has also undergone extensive training in project management, service excellence, network technologies, disaster recovery, AWS Cloud, and is a mini MBA graduate from Tekedia Institute.
As chief technical and information officer, Adedeji will provide strategic leadership for the technical and IT teams, overseeing the technological direction of the organisation and driving automation and innovation across the IT lifecycle. He will focus on the IT infrastructure, systems, and digital strategies to align with the organization’s strategic vision in expanding technology for growth and operational excellence.
