Vodacom Appoints Former Airtel Africa CEO Segun Ogunsanya to Board

Vodacom Group  has announced changes to its board, including the appointment of former Airtel Africa Group  Chief Executive Officer Segun Ogunsanya as an independent non-executive director.

Ogunsanya will join the Vodacom board with effect from 9 October 2026, following the retirement of Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa from the board on 8 October 2026.

Ogunsanya brings more than 35 years of leadership experience spanning finance, banking, fast-moving consumer goods, telecommunications and corporate governance. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, and an honorary Doctor of Science in computer science education from Tai Solarin University of Education.

He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Institute of Credit Administration and the Institute of Directors (Nigeria).

Ogunsanya served as Group CEO and Managing Director of Airtel Africa PLC until his retirement in June 2024. During his career, he also held senior leadership positions at Nigerian Bottling Company, Coca-Cola Sabco in Kenya, Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Ghana and Ecobank Transnational Inc., where he oversaw retail operations across 28 African countries.

Beyond the private sector, Ogunsanya chairs the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and serves on the board of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group. He previously served as an independent non-executive director of JSE-listed fintech company Optasia.

Vodacom said its board had conducted a fit and proper assessment in accordance with the JSE Listings Requirements and was satisfied with the outcome. The company also confirmed that there were no positive statements to report regarding the integrity information contained in Ogunsanya’s director declaration.

The changes also include the retirement of Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, who steps down from the board on 8 October 2026. Mahanyele-Dabengwa joined the Vodacom board on 1 January 2019 and served as chair of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Nomination Committee.

Vodacom also announced changes to its future board leadership. Chairman Saki Macozoma, who has served on the board since July 2017, will retire and step down from the board at the company’s annual general meeting on 20 July 2027, in line with Vodacom’s self-imposed 10-year board tenure policy.

Khumo Shuenyane, currently the lead independent director, will succeed Macozoma as chairman with effect from 21 July 2027.

At committee level, Clive Thomson will become chairman of the Remuneration Committee from 9 October 2026 while continuing as chairman of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee. Vodacom said further changes to the composition of its board committees would be announced in due course.