Records
Mo Ibrahim
Telecommunications entrepreneur who founded Celtel and founded and chairs the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, an African governance organisation.
Independently verifiedLatest source dated 2026-07-01Last reviewed 2026-10-26
What outcomes can be attributed to Mo Ibrahim?
Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG)
Self-reported
- Role
- Founder and Chair of the publishing foundation
- Outcome
- Published since 2007; assesses 54 African countries over the latest ten-year period; latest full edition 2024 (2026 edition scheduled for launch on 31 October 2026)
- Reported by
- Mo Ibrahim Foundation
[1, 2]Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership
Self-reported
- Role
- Founder and Chair of the awarding foundation
- Outcome
- 7 laureates (2007-2020), including Nelson Mandela as Honorary Laureate (2007); most recent laureate Mahamadou Issoufou (2020)
- Reported by
- Mo Ibrahim Foundation
[3]Ibrahim Prize years without a laureate
Self-reported
- Role
- Founder and Chair of the awarding foundation
- Outcome
- No winner for the 2023 and 2024 cycles; the foundation stated 2023 was the third consecutive year the Prize was not awarded
- Reported by
- Mo Ibrahim Foundation
[4, 5]Sale of Celtel International to Mobile Telecommunications Co. (MTC), Kuwait
Independently verified
- Role
- Founder
- Outcome
- US$3.4 billion (Britannica, CNBC); structured as US$2.84 billion for an 85% stake plus a commitment to buy the remaining 15% for US$520 million within two years (Arab News, 30 March 2005); MTC's acquisition of 85% of shares reported complete on 6 May 2005 (Khaleej Times)
- Reported by
- Arab News; Khaleej Times; Encyclopaedia Britannica; CNBC
[6, 7, 8, 9]Sale of Mobile Systems International (MSI) to Marconi
Independently verified
- Role
- Founder
- Outcome
- More than US$900 million (2000), per Britannica; CNBC gives 'around $900 million' and does not name the buyer
- Reported by
- Encyclopaedia Britannica; CNBC
[8, 9]
Sources
- Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG)Mo Ibrahim Foundation, primary source
- 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance to Launch on 31 OctoberMo Ibrahim Foundation, 2026-07-01, primary source
- Ibrahim Prize laureatesMo Ibrahim Foundation, primary source
- Mo Ibrahim Foundation announces no winner of the 2023 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African LeadershipMo Ibrahim Foundation, 2024-03-15, primary source
- Mo Ibrahim Foundation announces no winner of the 2024 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African LeadershipMo Ibrahim Foundation, 2025-03-06, primary source
- MTC Buys 85% of CeltelArab News, 2005-03-30, secondary source
- MTC's Celtel acquisition completeKhaleej Times, 2005-05-06, secondary source
- Mo IbrahimEncyclopaedia Britannica, secondary source
- Mo Ibrahim: the African engineer who became a billionaire businessmanCNBC, 2019-04-26, secondary source
Change history
- 2026-10-26 Record published.
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