FG pushes for smarter investing, stronger market confidence

…Moves to archive $1 trillion economy vision

The Federal Government has charged capital market operators to deepen investor confidence, enhance financial literacy, and fully align with upcoming reforms as Nigeria moves toward implementing the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 and unveiling the Capital Market Master Plan (CMMP) 2030.

This call was made by the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, during the 2025 First Capital Market Committee (CMC) Meeting hosted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

Represented by the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Edun emphasized the strategic importance of the capital market in actualizing Nigeria’s aspiration of becoming a $1 trillion economy within the next decade.

He noted that with recent policy reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidies, FX harmonization, and fiscal tightening, Nigeria now has a strong foundation to attract and utilize private capital to drive economic growth especially in sectors like infrastructure, housing, manufacturing, technology, and energy.

The Minister also praised the recent passage of ISA 2025, describing it as a landmark achievement that modernizes the country’s regulatory environment to global standards. However, he warned that beyond capital inflow, the country must ensure proper exit frameworks are in place to support large-scale investments. “If a billion-dollar investment enters this market, do we have the structure for it to exit smoothly?” he questioned, urging stakeholders to tackle the issues of capital absorption and exit.

Mr. Edun encouraged market participants to think beyond capital raising and position the capital market as a vehicle for inclusive growth and wealth creation. He proposed the creation of a Market Literacy Fund to support SEC’s initiatives and called for a rule-based, transparent, and resilient market system that inspires investor trust and delivers long-term benefits.

In his remarks, SEC Director General Dr. Emomotimi Agama expressed the Commission’s commitment to implementing ISA 2025 and CMMP 2030, while improving investor protection, digital innovation, and capital mobilization. He reported a strong 2024 market performance, with the NGX All-Share Index rising by 37.65%, total market capitalization crossing ₦62 trillion, and debt market turnover reaching ₦460.55 trillion.

Dr. Agama also highlighted SEC’s ongoing collaboration with other government agencies to improve recapitalization, boost SME access to capital, and enhance market transparency through digital upgrades.

He reaffirmed the Commission’s efforts to support Nigeria’s removal from the FATF grey list by reinforcing compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) regulations.

The CMC meeting convened a diverse group of stakeholders across the financial ecosystem including NGX, NASD, FMDQ, AFEX, CSCS, LCFE, NG Clearing, PCX, and GCMX as well as public institutions like the CBN, DMO, FIRS, and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. The event also featured the official launch of the new SEC corporate website and the ISA 2025 Handbook.

With new reforms and collaborative commitment from public and private players, Nigeria’s financial market is being positioned to play a transformative role in achieving sustainable economic growth and the nation’s long-term $1 trillion economy goal.