By Emmanuel Eze
She owns a quarter of Julius Berger, a chunk of FirstBank, and a jet called ‘Sisi Paris.’ At 39. If you’re counting, she’s not just rich; she’s building the country while flying over it.
Bella Disu is not just wealthy; she is architecturally positioned at the intersection of Nigeria’s most critical industries.
As Adenuga’s daughter, she inherited not just money but access to the commanding heights; telecoms (Globacom), construction (Abumet, Julius Berger), real estate (Cobblestone), and banking (First Bank, Sterling).
The $60 million Falcon 8x, christened ‘Sisi Paris,’ is not a toy; it is a mobile command center for an empire that spans continents.
The $4 million annual operating cost is not an expense; it is the maintenance fee for mobility at the speed of capital.
At 39, she is not just wealthy; she is systemically significant. Her portfolio is not a collection of assets; it is a map of Nigerian economic power.
The detail that she has been married to Jameel Disu for 16 years and has three children is not incidental; it is strategic.
In the world of dynastic wealth, marriage is not just personal; it is a merger of ecosystems.
Jameel Disu, a venture capitalist, brings his own expertise and network. Together, they form a power couple that combines inherited capital (Adenuga) with venture capital (Disu).
The Falcon 8x is not just her jet; it is their shared infrastructure. The 16-year marriage is proof that this partnership is not transactional; it is generational.
The children are not just heirs; they are the next wave of this dynastic tide.
The Julius Berger Stake: This is the most telling detail. Julius Berger is not just a construction company; it is the backbone of Nigerian infrastructure. Holding 30% (25% through Goldstone, 5% personal) makes Bella Disu a kingmaker in the sector. Any major infrastructure project in Nigeria likely involves a company she partly owns. That is not just wealth; it is structural power.
The Glass and Aluminum Base: Abumet, the glass and aluminum company she chairs, is the kind of business that seems unglamorous but is essential. Every building, every skyscraper, every facade needs glass and aluminum. By controlling that supply chain, she has a permanent stake in Nigerian construction. It’s not flashy, but it’s foundational.
The 39-Year-Old Fact: At 39, she is younger than many middle managers. Yet she controls assets worth billions. This is not merit in the conventional sense; it is dynastic capital. But within that dynasty, she has clearly proven herself capable; chairman of Abumet, EVP of Globacom, CEO of Cobblestone. She is not just inheriting; she is executing. The Falcon 8x is not a reward; it’s a tool for doing business at her level.
Bella Disu is 39 years old, married for 16 years, mother of three, and possibly the wealthiest Nigerian her age. The Falcon 8x, ‘Sisi Paris,’ is just the visible tip of an empire that includes telecoms, construction, real estate, banking, and infrastructure.
She is not just wealthy; she is systemic. Her stakes in Julius Berger, First Bank, and Sterling mean she has a say in how Nigeria is built, banked, and connected.
This is not a story of individual achievement; it is a story of dynastic power… inherited, yes, but also executed with precision. The jet flies; the empire builds. And at 39, she is just getting started.
She flies a jet named ‘Sisi Paris,’ owns chunks of Nigeria’s most critical companies,
and is just 39. Some people are born into the empire; others spend their lives building the gate.
Bella Disu is not a businesswoman; she is a conglomerate in human form. She runs telecoms, builds cities, writes children’s books, plays piano, advises presidents, and still finds time to nurture female leaders.
“Bella Disu is a multi-potentialite; a seasoned business executive, arts lover, author, and philanthropist with two decades of experience across industries.
Her career began in 2004 at Globacom, and she now serves as the Executive Vice Chairman of the leading telecommunications company. Bella is also the CEO of Cobblestone Properties and Estates Limited, a renowned property development company with a comprehensive portfolio of residential and commercial properties in Nigeria.
Her proficiency in high-stakes contract negotiation and project management has guided the successful execution of significant projects, including the development of luxury residences, Sisi Paris; Ile Oja Shopping Malls; and the Alliance Française Mike Adenuga Centre, an impressive cultural hub commissioned by the French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018.
Bella contributes her transformative vision to corporate boards, steering organisations towards increased productivity and profitability. She is the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Abumet Nigeria Limited, an innovative glass and aluminum manufacturing company, and a Non-Executive Director at Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, the industry leader in Nigeria’s construction sector. In April 2025, she was appointed Chairman of the Strategy Committee at Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, further strengthening her role in shaping the company’s long-term direction and competitive edge.
A globally recognised thought leader, Bella Disu holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, an MSc. in Leadership from Northeastern University, Boston and an MBA from Imperial College, London. Her affiliations include respected organisations such as Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), the Institute of Directors, Nigeria, and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
Her philanthropic spirit finds expression through the Bella Disu Foundation (BDF). As its founder and chair, Bella directs the foundation’s efforts towards improving socio-economic conditions in underserved communities. The foundation collaborates with organisations, including the International Women’s Society, LUTH Children’s Cancer Ward, and Regalo Hope Foundation, to achieve its objectives.
In 2024, Bella launched the SheGlows Program to nurture female leaders at Globacom and create a supportive ecosystem where women thrive in their careers.
For three consecutive years, she has been honoured by Governor Sanwo-Olu as part of the Lagos State Eko100Women initiative. In 2022 and 2023, she was listed on the Choiseul 100 Africa ranking as a key figure shaping Africa’s economic future.
Bella is an avid supporter of the arts and a long-term patron of the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON). She is also the Director of the Mike Adenuga Centre, where she plays a pivotal role in promoting French and Nigerian cultures. In 2019, the French Government recognised her commitment and awarded her the prestigious Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Bella enjoys playing the piano and, occasionally, the saxophone. Her children’s book, ‘Soso and The Kako Leaf’, was published in June 2022 and has already received a GOLD Mom’s Choice Award and a 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite.”
Bella Disu is a multi-potentialite in the truest sense. She runs telecoms and builds cities. She writes books and plays saxophone. She leads corporations and nurtures female talent. She advises presidents and runs Aviation. She builds cultural bridges and serves children with cancer.
At 39, she has accumulated two decades of experience, multiple degrees, and a list of honors that would fill a page. But what stands out is not the quantity; it’s the integration.
She doesn’t compartmentalize; she synthesizes. Business, art, philanthropy, leadership… all are threads in a single tapestry. The Falcon 8x, ‘Sisi Paris,’ is not just a jet; it’s a tool for a life that refuses to be grounded. And at the center of it all is a woman who plays piano, writes stories, and builds empires… not sequentially, but simultaneously. That is not just success; it is a work of art. A masterpiece!
Some people build companies. Bella Disu builds ecosystems. Telecoms, construction, fuels jets, culture, philanthropy; she doesn’t just work in industries; she owns the intersections.