Omobola Johnson
Omobola Johnson served as minster of communications and technology for Nigeria for four years, and under her guidance, the country has become one of the leading African nations in the tech sector.
According to Quartz Africa, as the communications and technology minister, one of her lasting legacies was launching Idea Nigeria, an incubation hub in the heart of Yaba—the epicenter of the tech ecosystem in Lagos.
Now, Johnson is a venture capitalist for TLcom Capital and head of the company’s Lagos office.
The company was founded in 1999 and is currently based in London and Nairobi. Over the years, TLcom Capital has amassed a portfolio of assets with an estimated value of $300 million.
Johnson will be leading the charge for the company’s expansion into western Africa, as TLcom Capital begins raising $100 million for investment in African start-ups. The company’s TLcom TIDE (Technology and Innovation for Developing Economies) Africa Fund will offer more opportunities for raising entrepreneurs.
TLcom Capital wants to invest in companies that focus on health, e-commerce, education, technology, and energy. So far, the start-ups will be allotted amounts between $500,000 to $10 million, depending on the promise of their respective projects.
“The main focus will be on deal flow generation, investment and value generation, and to bring industry level experience and network opportunities to support the scalable, sustainable and profitable growth of African tech companies in the TLcom portfolio,” Johnson said.
