The seasons pass but Hajia Muinat Shagaya remains grand, like the nurturant guardian whose tenderness and warmth blesses the land. In 57 years, Bola has blossomed into a woman of affluence and integrity. Fifty seven years may be a tiny fraction of time, yet Shagaya looms large across generations into eternity. The story of her exquisite womanhood resonates with a pleasant peal.
To her staff, family, friends, beneficiaries and other loved ones, her smiles have been their anchor, her shoulders their rampart of comfort.
The towering grace of billionaire businesswoman, Hajia Shagaya glitters far beyond the sparkle of polished diamonds. Not a few people, irrespective of age and gender, continually marvel at the surreal streak of loveliness that distinguishes her from the prettiest women in her class. And it gets better than even as she clocked 57 today.
She is the darling of her peers, and even the younger generation love to be around her. They consider her a friend, benefactor, confidant and mentor to mention but a few. But even at that, she is hardly given to fickle idolatry, unlike most of the women she shares the right to acclaim and celebrity status with.
However, her heart is like a singing bird whose nest is in a watered shoot; her heart is like an apple-tree whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit; her heart is like a rainbow shell that paddles in a halcyon sea; and her heart is gladder than all these because she lives to be 60.
Hajia Bola Shagaya (MON) was born on the 10th of October, 1959. She hails from Ilorin, Kwara State but resides and conducts her business principally in Lagos.
She had her secondary school education at Queens school, Ilorin, and her tertiary education at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Armstrong college in California, where she studied Economics and Accountancy. She has also attended a number of local and international seminars and workshops, including Harvard business school, United States.
She started her career with the audit department of the Central Bank of Nigeria before venturing into commercial activities in 1983. Her business experience commenced with the importation and distribution of photographic materials, namely, roll papers, films and chemicals under the trading name, Bolmus international (Nigeria) limited. She introduced the Konica brand of photographic materials into the Nigerian market and the West African coast.
In 1997, she registered Fotofair (Nigeria) limited and opened a photo laboratory service unit on Victoria Island, Lagos using 100% Japanese technology under the Konica brand name. Today, Fotofair (Nigeria) limited has over thirty photo laboratories located in different parts of the country and evidently one of the largest photo laboratory companies in Nigeria.
Hajia Bola Shagaya is also the managing director of Practoil limited, one of the largest importers and distributors of base oil in Nigeria, meeting the needs of the local lubricant blending plants.
She was on the board of intercity bank for over eight (8) years. while on the board of the then intercity bank (now Unity Bank plc), she served in different capacities on various board committees including the position of chairman of the bank’s establishment committee and chairman, audit committee just to mention a few. In addition, Hajiya Bola Shagaya was a member of the audit and credit committees of the board of unity bank plc.
She is a fashion and art enthusiast who supports and encourages the fashion and art industry. A sports lover, especially, Polo. She has consistently supported polo tournaments over the years in Nigeria.
In recognition of her outstanding virtues and in appreciation of her services to the country on the 22nd of July 2010, she was awarded by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (, the title of the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
