I had just lost my job and was in the job market for like three months. Then out of the blue, I got an offer from the FCMB Group. I got a call and met up with Gboyega Balogun, one of the Directors of the FCMB Group, and after a brilliant conversation, I was given an offer.
One of the downsides of my job loss was the loss of my self-confidence and I didn’t want to rush into another job only to be kicked out again, so I was kind of reticent.
I called my buddy, brilliant investment banker Segun George, and said, “Bro, I just got an offer with CSL, what do you think?” He said, “Nice place, you can check up on my buddy Temi Popoola, he is a cool dude.”
That was the first I was hearing of this chap. I resumed and made a beeline to him and he said, “Guy, this place, you just do your job, focus on your deliverables and you will be ok.”
This is exactly the way he ran his deal.
He was the best trader I had seen in my career and Monday meetings were a school for me. Temi would easily reel out his deals and they came in the millions.
He covered the international side of the business while I took local and he beat me 10 to 1 every week.
This I must say was not an easy task as I was a mean sales machine who had revamped the dwindling local side of CSL business but I was no match for Temi and I was not surprised when he first left for Rencap and from there the NGX where he is now the Group Managing Director.
The NGX under Temi opened the year with a banger. It crossed the ₦100 trillion mark, making President Tinubu rush in with huge congratulations.
The NGX, following the generational change in leadership which has seen the coming on board of bright young minds like Temi, is today better positioned as a true engine of macroeconomic growth.
Temi’s tenure has seen robust reforms, the streamlining of processes and human capital, leveraging of technology which in itself has ramped up efficiency and transparency amongst others, and all of these continue to hit the All Share Index, propelling it into world-record performance.
Today, the NGX is a respectable market, rubbing shoulders with markets in the advanced world and beating them hands down in returns.
Today the NGX has within its bowels some of the biggest global brands – Dangote, MTN, BUA and is even expecting to list the giant Dangote Refinery even as it sets its eyes on fintech giants like Flutterwave.
Temi inherited a sleeping giant, a tired Godzilla that was imbued with overstaffing, lethargic management and seemed drained.
Today, the energy is back and the place is witnessing a huge boom thanks to this my guy, who looks very quiet even though he carries with him the brains of a NASA astronaut.
The NGX is not without its challenges though.
The float issue where the big five are not releasing enough shares to be traded amongst other such challenges.
All in all, the NGX, which is the biggest and most important player within the capital market barring the massive regulator – SEC, is in good hands under Mr. Temi Popoola and this is why I was more than excited when he got nominated into the Power List.
Temi Popoola was born June 17, 1980, in London, United Kingdom, but raised in Nigeria where he attended St. Saviour’s School, Ebute-Metta and Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State.
He made a First-Class Honours degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos (2002) and then secured a Master of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (2006), Rozeau Fellowship recipient.
He completed Advanced Management Program (AMP 207) – Harvard Business School (2024) and is a proud CFA Charterholder and holder of NASD Series 7 & 63 licenses.
He began his career in London as an asset manager, focusing on African energy sector investments and then moved to New York, working as an Equity Derivatives Trader at Bank of America Securities where he developed portfolio strategies for corporate and private clients across global markets.
He was then headhunted by UBA to head their Structured Products and Investments for Global Markets.
CSL Stockbrokers was his next port of call and where I met him. He led Sales & Trading, attracting foreign capital into Nigeria and finally, he berthed at Renaissance Capital where he was CEO for Nigeria and West Africa.
He was appointed CEO of Nigerian Exchange Limited in 2021 and currently serves as Group Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.
At the NGX, he spearheaded Nigeria’s first digitally enabled securities offering, launched West Africa’s first exchange-traded derivatives and these strategic reforms have led to NGX’s most profitable years.
He is Chairman of Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc and NG Clearing Limited.
And serves on:
Executive Committee – African Securities Exchanges Association
Board Member – World Federation of Exchanges
Contributor to the African Financial Industry Summit.
With all of these, I have not seen any more qualified entrant to the Maddtimes Power List. Well done bro.
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: February 4, 2026
