Idris Bello: Championing Innovation Across Africa
Idris Ayodeji Bello is a Nigerian tech entrepreneur, investor, and global thought leader whose work spans innovation, venture capital, and social impact across Africa and beyond. Known as an “Afropreneur,” a term he helped popularise to describe innovators leveraging technology for development, Idris has dedicated his career to empowering underserved communities and fostering technology‑enabled solutions that create jobs and improve lives.
A First‑Class graduate in Computer Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, Idris expanded his education abroad with an MSc in Computer Science & Data Mining from the University of Houston, an MBA in Entrepreneurship & Strategy from Rice University, and an MSc in Global Health Science from the University of Oxford as a WHT Scholar. During his time at Oxford, he led the Africa Society and helped organise major continental leadership events.
Idris began his professional journey in multinational environments, including senior roles at Chevron and Procter & Gamble, before co‑founding The Wennovation Hub, an innovation platform in Lagos that has accelerated numerous startups in healthcare, education, and e‑commerce. He later became a Founding Partner at LoftyInc Capital, a leading African venture firm. Under his leadership, the Afropreneurs Fund has raised significant capital and supported early‑stage companies like Andela and Flutterwave, helping them scale regionally and globally.
Idris has also received recognition as one of CNN’s Top Ten African Technology Voices, a Dell Global Innovation Ambassador, and a MIT Global Start‑up Fellow, and his work has earned multiple social innovation awards. He serves on strategic boards and committees, including as an Independent Non‑Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, and continues to advocate for greater access to technology, capital, and education across Africa’s innovation ecosystem.
