Our Board of Directors
As a full-service company specializing in Shari’ah compliant asset management, private wealth management, and financial advisory services, we have experienced and committed leadership that helps to ensure that we meet the investment needs of ethical individuals, businesses, and organizations across West Africa.
Mr. Fola Adeola OFR, MNI
Board Member
Mr. Fola Adeola OFR, MNI
Board Member
Fola Adeola is the Chairman of Lotus Capital Limited. He is also the Chairman/Founder of FATE Foundation, a non-governmental organization dedicated to encouraging the creation of wealth through entrepreneurship, using an innovative mix of training, mentoring, loan support, and consulting to support young Nigerians.
Fola was the founder and first Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. He ran the bank from its inception in 1990 to July 2002, during which he firmly established the institution as a strong and credible bank. Guaranty Trust Bank has become one of Nigeria’s largest and most profitable listed companies with a footprint across Africa and in the UK.
He was also previously the Chairman of MainOne Cable Limited and Chairman of Allianz Insurance Company Limited. In the public sector, Fola served as the first Chairman of the National Pension Commission in Nigeria. He has served and is still serving, at national and international levels, on various committees and corporate boards. Fola served as a member of the National Honours and Awards Committee, member of the Solid Mineral Committee (both federally constituted), member of Council, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, member of Council, Institute of Directors of Nigeria, and member of the Global Advisory Committee on Philanthropy of the World Economic Forum. He had served as a Commissioner on the Commission for Africa, prelude to the 2005 G8 meeting in Gleneagles, UK. Until June 2015, he was Deputy Chairman of the Victims Support Fund, a national fund set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to assist victims of Boko Haram.
Mr. Adeola was nationally decorated as an Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002. He has received numerous honours and recognitions, including Doctor of Business Administration – DBA– by Nkumba University, Uganda, Doctor of Business Administration –DBA– by the University of Nigeria, Nsuka, Doctor of Business Administration –DBA– by Al-Hikma University, Ilorin, Nigeria, all honoris causa.
Mr. Adeola has a Diploma in Accounting from Yaba College of Technology and is a Chartered Accountant. He is a graduate of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos. He is a member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK, and an Accredited Mediator of the same Institute. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, INSEAD, and the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
Fola was the founder and first Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. He ran the bank from its inception in 1990 to July 2002, during which he firmly established the institution as a strong and credible bank. Guaranty Trust Bank has become one of Nigeria’s largest and most profitable listed companies with a footprint across Africa and in the UK.
He was also previously the Chairman of MainOne Cable Limited and Chairman of Allianz Insurance Company Limited. In the public sector, Fola served as the first Chairman of the National Pension Commission in Nigeria. He has served and is still serving, at national and international levels, on various committees and corporate boards. Fola served as a member of the National Honours and Awards Committee, member of the Solid Mineral Committee (both federally constituted), member of Council, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, member of Council, Institute of Directors of Nigeria, and member of the Global Advisory Committee on Philanthropy of the World Economic Forum. He had served as a Commissioner on the Commission for Africa, prelude to the 2005 G8 meeting in Gleneagles, UK. Until June 2015, he was Deputy Chairman of the Victims Support Fund, a national fund set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to assist victims of Boko Haram.
Mr. Adeola was nationally decorated as an Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002. He has received numerous honours and recognitions, including Doctor of Business Administration – DBA– by Nkumba University, Uganda, Doctor of Business Administration –DBA– by the University of Nigeria, Nsuka, Doctor of Business Administration –DBA– by Al-Hikma University, Ilorin, Nigeria, all honoris causa.
Mr. Adeola has a Diploma in Accounting from Yaba College of Technology and is a Chartered Accountant. He is a graduate of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos. He is a member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK, and an Accredited Mediator of the same Institute. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, INSEAD, and the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
Mrs Lateefah Okunnu
Board Member
Mrs Lateefah Okunnu
Board Member
Mrs Lateefah Okunnu is a retired Civil Servant with a wealth of administrative experience. After a fulfilling career in both the Lagos State and Federal Civil Service, Mrs Okunnu reached the pinnacle of her career in 1986 when she was appointed a Permanent Secretary and later a Director-General in the Political Affairs Office of the Cabinet Office.
In 1990, she was appointed Deputy Governor of Lagos State and later Chairman Caretaker Committee of the National Republic Convention (NRC) till 1993 when the Party’s Executive Council took over. She retired from the Federal Civil Service in 1994.
Mrs Okunnu is a founding member and one time National Amirah of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN). She is presently the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa of the newly established International Muslim Women’s Union as well as the National Coordinator of Muslim League for Accountability (MULAC), a body established for championing transparency and accountability in the private and public lives of Muslims and the Nigeria society at large. She holds a Diploma in Education and a BA (Hons) Geography
In 1990, she was appointed Deputy Governor of Lagos State and later Chairman Caretaker Committee of the National Republic Convention (NRC) till 1993 when the Party’s Executive Council took over. She retired from the Federal Civil Service in 1994.
Mrs Okunnu is a founding member and one time National Amirah of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN). She is presently the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa of the newly established International Muslim Women’s Union as well as the National Coordinator of Muslim League for Accountability (MULAC), a body established for championing transparency and accountability in the private and public lives of Muslims and the Nigeria society at large. She holds a Diploma in Education and a BA (Hons) Geography
Mr Muhammad Nuruddeen Lemu
Board Member
Mr Muhammad Nuruddeen Lemu
Board Member
Mr. Nuruddeen Lemu is a Director of Research and Training at the Dawah Institute of Nigeria and the Assistant General Secretary of Islamic Education Trust (IET), Minna. He is the Technical Adviser, Nigerian Environmental Society, Niger State branch; a Founding Member of the Regional Centre for Expertise, Minna; and a member of the Advisory Board of the New Horizons College, Minna. He has been a Member of, National Awards Committee, Ford Foundation Jubilee Transparency Awards, Nigeria and Teacher Trainer, Noor Al-Houda Islamic College, Sydney, Australia.
Mr. Lemu is a Director of the Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA), the Inter-Faith Activity and Partners for Peace (IFAPP), and a member of various committees of Jama’tu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Da’wah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN). He was one of those nominated by the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) to represent Nigerian Muslims at the last National Conference (CONFAB 2014). He has also been an Independent Director of Lotus Capital Limited since its inception in 2006.
Mr. Lemu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, an MSc. Resource Management from Edinburgh University, United Kingdom, is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative of West Africa (ALIWA), and of the Aspen Leadership Institute, Colorado, USA.
Mr. Lemu is a Director of the Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA), the Inter-Faith Activity and Partners for Peace (IFAPP), and a member of various committees of Jama’tu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Da’wah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN). He was one of those nominated by the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) to represent Nigerian Muslims at the last National Conference (CONFAB 2014). He has also been an Independent Director of Lotus Capital Limited since its inception in 2006.
Mr. Lemu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, an MSc. Resource Management from Edinburgh University, United Kingdom, is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative of West Africa (ALIWA), and of the Aspen Leadership Institute, Colorado, USA.
Mrs Amina Oyagbola
Board Member
Mrs Amina Oyagbola
Board Member
Mrs. Oyagbola is the Managing Consultant of AKMS Consulting, and also a Senior Partner of Oyagbola Chambers. She previously served as the Head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs at MTN Nigeria Communications and the Head of Human Resources. Prior to this, she was the Corporate Services Executive of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited where she had oversight responsibilities. She was also an Executive Director of the MTN Nigeria Foundation.
Her long and distinguished career spans legal practice with Chief FRA Williams Chambers, Banking with Crystal Bank and UBA where she was successively Legal Adviser, Head, Human Capital Division, before setting up and heading the Private Banking Division; and finally the Oil sector with Shell Petroleum Development Company as Head, HR Strategy, Standards and Business Planning.
She obtained an LL.B (Hons) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, an LL.M from Cambridge University, UK, and also holds an MBA from Lancaster University Management School, UK and has completed the Advanced Management Programme at Insead, executive programmes at Harvard and the MTN Global Advancement Programme. She is a Chevening Scholar, a Chartered Fellow of CIPD UK and a member of the Society for Human Resource Management USA.
Mrs. Oyabola is also the Founder and Chairperson of WICAR (Women in Successful Careers). .
Her long and distinguished career spans legal practice with Chief FRA Williams Chambers, Banking with Crystal Bank and UBA where she was successively Legal Adviser, Head, Human Capital Division, before setting up and heading the Private Banking Division; and finally the Oil sector with Shell Petroleum Development Company as Head, HR Strategy, Standards and Business Planning.
She obtained an LL.B (Hons) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, an LL.M from Cambridge University, UK, and also holds an MBA from Lancaster University Management School, UK and has completed the Advanced Management Programme at Insead, executive programmes at Harvard and the MTN Global Advancement Programme. She is a Chevening Scholar, a Chartered Fellow of CIPD UK and a member of the Society for Human Resource Management USA.
Mrs. Oyabola is also the Founder and Chairperson of WICAR (Women in Successful Careers). .
Hajara Adeola
Board Member
Hajara Adeola
Board Member
Hajara Adeola is the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Lotus Capital Limited. She has over 20 years’ experience working in top tier global investment banks in the UK and Nigeria, where she focused on research and analyses, investment management, Islamic finance and corporate finance.
Prior to founding Lotus Capital, she previously worked with Arthur Anderson Consulting (now Accenture). UBS Warburg, BNP Paribas and ARM Investment Managers. Hajara is regarded as the top industry expert in Islamic fund management in Nigeria.
Mrs. Adeola is the first President of the Fund Manager’s Association of Nigeria. She is also the Chairperson of the Securities & Exchange Commission’s Non-Interest Capital Market 10year master plan committee. She is a member of the SEC Capital Market Master Plan Implementation Council (CAMMIC) and a member of the Nigeria Stock Exchange Fixed Income Products Advisory Committee. Hajara is a Director of the Aliko Dangote Foundation.
Qualifications: MSc Finance (Durham University) MBA International Management (Exeter University) BSc Pharmacology (King’s College, London).
Prior to founding Lotus Capital, she previously worked with Arthur Anderson Consulting (now Accenture). UBS Warburg, BNP Paribas and ARM Investment Managers. Hajara is regarded as the top industry expert in Islamic fund management in Nigeria.
Mrs. Adeola is the first President of the Fund Manager’s Association of Nigeria. She is also the Chairperson of the Securities & Exchange Commission’s Non-Interest Capital Market 10year master plan committee. She is a member of the SEC Capital Market Master Plan Implementation Council (CAMMIC) and a member of the Nigeria Stock Exchange Fixed Income Products Advisory Committee. Hajara is a Director of the Aliko Dangote Foundation.
Qualifications: MSc Finance (Durham University) MBA International Management (Exeter University) BSc Pharmacology (King’s College, London).
Toyin Kekere-Ekun
Board Member
Toyin Kekere-Ekun
Board Member
Toyin Kekere-Ekun has 20 years’ experience that transverses Financial & Operational Strategy, Business Development, Islamic Finance, and Business Process Management.
She currently manages the Business Development Group at Lotus Capital, and also steers the Strategy Implementation Committee of the company. She is an alumnus of the Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Program, and is also a member of the Technical and Enlightenment Committee of the Fund Managers Association of Nigeria.
Toyin previously worked at Guaranty Trust Bank’s Corporate Banking Group, where she conducted credit structuring, loan syndication and relationship management for large local Corporates and Multinationals. She also worked in the bank’s Treasury where she headed the ALM Department managing the Balance Sheet Structure and Liquidity. Toyin also worked at Stanbic IBTC Bank as the Segment Manager for Islamic Banking, where she was responsible for developing strategies to promote business growth, customer acquisition, retention and profitability.
Toyin is a Chartered Accountant, with an MSc in Finance and Management from Cranfield School of Management UK. She also holds a BSc degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos.
She currently manages the Business Development Group at Lotus Capital, and also steers the Strategy Implementation Committee of the company. She is an alumnus of the Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Program, and is also a member of the Technical and Enlightenment Committee of the Fund Managers Association of Nigeria.
Toyin previously worked at Guaranty Trust Bank’s Corporate Banking Group, where she conducted credit structuring, loan syndication and relationship management for large local Corporates and Multinationals. She also worked in the bank’s Treasury where she headed the ALM Department managing the Balance Sheet Structure and Liquidity. Toyin also worked at Stanbic IBTC Bank as the Segment Manager for Islamic Banking, where she was responsible for developing strategies to promote business growth, customer acquisition, retention and profitability.
Toyin is a Chartered Accountant, with an MSc in Finance and Management from Cranfield School of Management UK. She also holds a BSc degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos.
Moshood Babatunde
Board Member
Moshood Babatunde
Board Member
Moshood is the Group Chief Financial Officer of Lotus Capital Limited with over 13 years of financial and business management experience in Banking sector and capital market. His areas of specialty include corporate strategies, financial advisory, portfolio management, treasury management, corporate restructuring, audit, tax management, financial performance measurement, Enterprise Risk Management and Business analytics.
He has previously worked as an accountant with a consulting & project management firm(Mc Coy Zalm Nigeria Ltd) where he was responsible for field projects management, business operations, financial management & reporting. He also worked with Access Bank Plc from where he joined Lotus Capital Limited.
Moshood is an Associate member (ACA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN). He holds an MBA (Distinction) with specialization in Management and Higher National Diploma (Distinction) in Accounting. He is an alumnus of Lagos Business School and University of Lagos.
He has previously worked as an accountant with a consulting & project management firm(Mc Coy Zalm Nigeria Ltd) where he was responsible for field projects management, business operations, financial management & reporting. He also worked with Access Bank Plc from where he joined Lotus Capital Limited.
Moshood is an Associate member (ACA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN). He holds an MBA (Distinction) with specialization in Management and Higher National Diploma (Distinction) in Accounting. He is an alumnus of Lagos Business School and University of Lagos.