Idris Ayodeji Bello

@AdewaleYusuf_ Something you should have ended with a link to book photos with you and your rate card so we too can blow one day.

I took this photo of Shola and Ezra before Paystack announced their first round.
Years later, Stripe acquired Paystack for over $200M. I took this photo of Tosin before Moniepoint raised a single dollar. Today, they’ve raised over $200M and are valued at more than $1B. I took this photo of Madam Funke Opeke before the big MainOne exit.
Equinix acquired MainOne for $320M. I took this photo of GB on his first day as CEO of Flutterwave.
Today, Flutterwave has raised over $470M and is valued at $3B. Recently, I saw a tweet that said: “Most successful founders have an unfair advantage. They all know each other.” Here’s what people don’t see. Many of us met when there was no money.
No valuations.
No press.
No hype. We were hustling through Lagos traffic to hackathons and tech events.
Showing up at meetups with more ambition than resources. 
Building relationships without calculating ROI. We weren’t thinking about leverage.
We were building community. Years later, those same relationships became partnerships, investments, boards, and Million-dollar outcomes. Yes, privilege exists. 
But long before the headlines, there was proximity. There was consistency. There was shared struggle. If you’re early in your journey, don’t underestimate the people around you today. The founder you’re brainstorming with.
The engineer you’re building side projects with.
The operator grinding quietly. You don’t know who they’ll become. And more importantly you don’t know who you’ll become together. Build real relationships.
Not just transactions. That’s the long game.

My mum’s diary entry Feb 13 & 14, 1976. Exactly 50 years to date.

@idrisayobello @LoftyIncVC We are on air, join us 👉bit.ly/4qiCoFP

Today we have the pleasure to host @idrisayobello Founding Partner at @LoftyIncVC to talk about Register here 👉 bit.ly/4qiCoFP Don't miss it today, 2026 at 3 PM (Tunis time)

This week, we're joining @TechSafari for an in-depth conversation on the 2025 Africa Investment Report. We're moving beyond the headlines to explore the structural shifts @briter_co has tracked: the changing origins of capital, the expansion of industries beyond fintech, and what these trends mean for Africa's venture future. Join @DarioGiuliani with @idrisayobello (@LoftyIncVC ), Riki Yamauchi (@NovastarV ) & Dr @Lelemba (ATG Samata) to hear from those building, backing, and tracking the ecosystem. Register: luma.com/dtf1g0ck

Fela would have had a field day churning out albums in these Trumpian times....that's how big Abami Eda was. Even his Beast of No Nations is timely and fitting for this Davos debacle!!! The time wey I dey outside prison, I call am outside world Na craze world, no be outside world Craze world These disguising leaders ee-oh, na wah for dem Dem hold meeting everywhere, dem reach America Dem call the place United Nations Hear oh another animal talk Wetin united inside United Nations? Who & who unite for United Nations? No be there Thatcher & Argentina dey No be there Reagan & Libya dey Israel versus Lebanon Iran-i-oh versus Iraq-i East West Block versus West Block East No be there dem dey oh United Nations Dis "united" United Nations One veto vote is equal to 92...or more, or more What kind sense be dat, na animal sense What kind sense be dat, na animal sense Dem go hold meeting oh, Dem go start yap human beings Animal talk don start again Dash dem human rights Dem go hold meeting oh, Dem go start yap human beings Animal talk don start again Dash dem human rights Beasts of no nation- Egbe Ke Gbe na bad society Beasts of no nation, Egbe Ke Gbe

Dem no dey time this speech?

Is this Ajantala speech at Davos scripted?

Donald Trump's second and current tenure as the president of the United States began upon his inauguration as the 47th president on January 20, 2025. Thank you for your attention to this matter.- Ajantala

Why hand dey touch Nigeria o?

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"Somewhere, at this very moment, someone appears to be doing better than you. Their progress is faster. Perhaps their business grows more quickly or their career is advancing rapidly. Maybe dating is easy for them or their progress in the gym seems to come effortlessly. In any domain, there is always another life that shimmers more than your own. But comparison is a poor use of energy. You were not meant to inhabit someone else's story. You have your own work to do. The goal is not to beat their life, the goal is to live your life. Keep your eyes on your own paper. Stay on the path and continue forward, even when progress feels slow." James Clear

@toluogunlesi I will remind you in a few years aburo.

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"An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit." -Pliny Do things where you enjoy the journey because many times the chase will end up being more fun than the reward. ​​ "If your past achievements didn't make you meaningfully happier, don't expect your future achievements to make you happier. Remember that thing you so badly wanted? If getting it didn't meaningfully change your long-term happiness, then you shouldn't expect the thing you want right now to change your long-term happiness either. You are roughly as happy as you decide to be today. And some day, years from now, after you accomplish the thing you've been striving for, you'll have to decide to be happy on that day too."

My ex-student and mentee! Amazing person inside out. Wishing Islamiyah Bimbo Sulaiman a successful tenure!

The 6th edition of the NCNMO Afropreneur Challenge is here! Join us Wednesday, December 24 at 6:00pm EST at Kojo Kamau Junior Ballroom Hall at Hilton Columbus Downtown or via livestream 5:00 pm CST/12:00am Lagos time for the 2025 NCNMO Afropreneurs Challenge Finals, and for a fireside chat with Afropreneur Idris Bello of LoftyInc Capital Management @ncnmoofficialchannel" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">youtube.com/@ncnmoofficial… Come and vote for your favorite teams to win up to $10,000 Finalists: 1. Nisa Health - Zaidat Ibrahim 2. CyberVigil - Ridwanullah Abdulraheem 3. Tayst - Rasheed Ajibade 4. Nigerian Authors Book Club - Bolade Yakubu-Owolewa 5. Traverse - Abdrahman Sheriff Judges include: 1. Dr. Biodun Isiaka, Assistant Professor, University of Regina 2. Dr. Idowu Fatima Olaoye, Health Entrepreneur, Houston, TX 3. Mr. Abdulrasheed Ijaodola, Corporate Associate, Greenberg Traurig, LLP 4. Mr. Niyi Olajide, Director, Growth, Analytics, Data Engineering, Meta 5. Mrs. Modupe Akinola, Finance Director - North America Personal Health Care, Procter and Gamble

If I could send my 18 year old self a message, it would have three parts: 1. Prestige is often mistaken. Follow curiosity instead. 2. There's no way to avoid hard work. It's not sufficient, but it is necessary. 3. Don't take your parents for granted.