Mr. Bolaji Balogun, Founder and CEO of Chapel Hill Denham
Bolaji Balogun, Founder and CEO of Chapel Hill Denham and Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund is Nigeria’s foremost architect of transformative capital transactions and a global advocate for institutional capital driving Africa’s sustainable growth. With 36 years in investment banking, telecommunications, and impact investing, he has orchestrated transactions exceeding ₦67 trillion.
An Economics (Hons) graduate of the London School of Economics, Bolaji joined FCMB Group (1993–2001), rising to Executive Director at CSL Stockbrokers and FCMB Capital Markets. In 2001, he co-founded Econet Wireless Nigeria (now Airtel), securing a $285 million GSM license, launching Nigeria’s first commercial mobile network, and steering its $1.67 billion sale to Celtel in 2005— Africa’s largest private equity exit.
Returning to finance, he founded Chapel Hill Denham in 2005, establishing Nigeria’s leading investment bank, alternatives asset manager, and impact investment firm. The firm directs institutional capital into infrastructure, renewables, real estate, gender, venture and the creative economy.
During the 2008 banking crisis, Bolaji advised the CBN under Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, stabilizing 10 failing banks, safeguarding 34% of national deposits (over 30 million depositors). His team created AMCON, passed its Act in record time, raised ₦5.4 trillion, acquired 12,000 NPLs, and repaid over one-third of AMCON’s debt all within Sanusi’s tenure as CBN Governor.
A pioneer in sustainable finance, non-interest banking, climate, and gender finance, Bolaji co-promoted SME.NG—Nigeria’s only all-female accelerator—and Creative Catalyst, fuelling the creative sector. He chairs Endeavor Nigeria, accelerating high-impact startups, and Unilever Nigeria Plc, while serving on the UN Global Compact Board and co-chairing the Private Sector Advisory Group on SDGs.
His national roles include Co-Chair, Abia Global Economic Advisory Council (2024) and former board chairmanships at Lafarge Africa and NAHCO FTZ. A JSE Africa Advisory Board member since 2009, he is a Trustfund Pensions Director and LSE Nigeria Alumni President.
Bolaji’s work deepens Nigeria’s capital markets, mentors entrepreneurs, and aligns finance with SDG impact—embodying Zik’s vision of visionary, ethical leadership for a prosperous Africa.
Married with children, Bolaji Balogun remains a catalyst for innovation, resilience, and inclusive growth.
