Mo Ibrahim, also known as Mohammed Ibrahim, is one of the wealthiest businessmen in Africa. The Sudanese-British entrepreneur is a famous philanthropist and has many works linked to his name over the years. He is also famous for his accomplishments in Telecom. Company.
Mo Ibrahim ranks as the 692nd richest person in the world. He has a net worth of $1.8 billion, according to the Forbes 2011 Billionaire List. He is the first in the yearly Power List of notable Black Britons and was also chosen for the TIME “Top 100” list in 2008. Let’s take a look at his life and accomplishments.
Mo Ibrahim’s Childhood/Educational Background
Ibrahim was born on May 3rd, 1946, and grew up in Sudan. He is the second of five children, four of whom were boys. He is of Nubian descent. When he was a young boy, his family relocated to Alexandria, Egypt, where his father, Fathi, worked as a clerk. His mother, Aida, was adamant that they all receive a top-notch education so, Ibrahim went to Alexandria University, got his engineering degree, and then returned to Sudan. He worked as an engineer for Sudan Telecom, a government-run phone enterprise.
In 1974, he moved to England and went to the University of Bradford for a Masters degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering. He then taught at the University of Birmingham where he completed a PhD in mobile communications.
In 1983, he left his position as a professor to work as the Technical Director of Cellnet (later O2). Here he oversaw wireless operations for British telecom giant BT. This was the beginning of his career in the Telecom Industry.
Mo Ibrahim’s Career
Ibrahim left his position in 1989 to start Mobile Systems International. This is a company that creates mobile networks. Later, in 2000, he sold the business to Marconi Company for more than $900 million.
While working in Mobile Systems, he observed that there was no Pan-African mobile phone network. This led him to found MSI Cellular Investments, later called Celtel, in 1998. Celtel became one of the biggest mobile communications firms in Africa covering over a dozen countries and millions of people. Ibrahim sold Celtel to MTC Kuwait in 2005 for $3.4 billion but he remained the company’s chairman until 2007, when he retired from the board.
Mo Ibrahim’s Major Works
Mo Ibrahim started Celtel International to offer mobile communication services throughout Africa. It quickly grew to be one of the biggest firms in Africa. Serving millions of customers and providing coverage in over a dozen nations. It sparked a mobile revolution, going from a meagre 7.5 million subscribers to a massive 76.5 million.
Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Ibrahim then turned his attention to investing and charitable ventures. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which he created in 2006 awards excellent leadership in the continent. The coveted Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership is the highest cash prize in the world. The Ibrahim Prize is for African leaders who met the criteria set by the foundation’s board in 2007. Thus, through the Ibrahim index, the foundation builds accountability. The Ibrahim index is a grading system for governing bodies.
Due to its requirements, the annual prize may not always have receivers. Thus, the prize, which was last awarded in 2008, wasn’t given again until 2011. The Ibrahim Prize was the largest individual prize in the world at creation. Its initial value was $5 million, shared over ten years, plus an extra life stipend.
Mo Ibrahim’s Personal Life
Mo Ibrahim married Hania Morsi Fadl in 1973. They had known each other since they were young children. Hania graduated from Alexandria University the year before him. The couple has two children: a son named Hosh Ibrahim, an actor and a daughter, Hadeel Ibrahim and the Executive Director of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
However, they got divorced, and his ex-wife Fadl, took over their breast cancer clinic in Sudan. She is a British radiologist of Sudanese descent
Mo Ibrahim’s Achievements
Mo Ibrahim obtained an honorary doctorate in economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.
He then obtained an honorary doctorate in law from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011.
He has received several honours, including the Chairman’s Award for Lifetime Achievement as well as the GSM Association, in 2007, gave him this award. Another award is the BNP Paribas Prize for Philanthropy in 2008. Also, the Clinton Global Citizen award in 2010. He got the Kiel Institute Global Economy Prize and the Africare Leadership Award
In 2012, He received the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award. He also received the Millennium Excellence Award for Actions in Africa.
In May 2014, he got the Eisenhower Medal for Distinguished Leadership and Service. In addition, he received the Foreign Policy Association Medal the following month.
Other awards given to him include;
International Republic Institute (IRI) Freedom Award (2015)
Danish CSR Honor Prize (2015)
Commander of the Order of the Lion (Senegal) by President Macky Sall (2014)
Commandeur of the Wissam Arch by H.M. King Mohammed V1 of Morocco (2014)
Honorary Degrees and Fellowships
Mo Ibrahim is also affiliated with the following fellowships and honorary degrees;
● University of Pennsylvania
● London Business School
● SOAS – University of London
● Imperial College
● Birmingham University
● Bradford University
● De Montfort University, Leicester
● Royal Academy of Engineering
● Bartels Fellowship, Cornell University
● Honorary Doctorate from Lancaster University
