SEC taps data analytics to drive capital into Nigeria

Barbara Bako, Abuja

The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Emomotimi Agama, has said Nigeria’s capital market is prioritising data, artificial intelligence and technology-driven regulation to attract both domestic and foreign investment.

Speaking at the FSDH Investor Conference 2026 in Lagos, Agama said the future of investing would increasingly depend on the quality of intelligence and data available to investors rather than the size of capital under management.

According to him, artificial intelligence, real-time analytics, distributed ledger technology and algorithmic systems are already transforming how investments are priced, allocated and protected across global markets.

“We are at the threshold of what scholars and practitioners are calling the era of intelligent investing — a paradigm in which data does not merely inform decisions, but actively participates in them,” he said.

Agama disclosed that the Commission had embarked on what he described as the most comprehensive regulatory reform programme in its history to keep Nigeria competitive in the changing global investment landscape.

He said the reforms are designed to create a forward-looking market structure capable of supporting intelligent investing through faster settlement systems, tokenised securities and expanded derivatives markets.

The SEC DG explained that the Commission’s seven-pillar capital market infrastructure strategy includes plans to achieve T+1 settlement cycles, strengthen digital asset regulation and establish a comprehensive framework for tokenised securities.

He added that the Commission is also developing governance frameworks for artificial intelligence applications within the capital market to ensure transparency, accountability and investor confidence.

“We are developing AI governance frameworks for capital market participants — frameworks that demand explainability, accountability and algorithmic fairness. An investor in Nigeria deserves to know not only what decisions were made on their behalf, but how those decisions were reached,” Agama stated.

He noted that intelligent investing must remain inclusive and accessible, adding that the SEC’s fintech-bank integration strategy is targeting about 20 million retail investors nationwide.

According to him, technology-driven investment tools could widen access to wealth creation opportunities for small businesses, artisans and low-income earners previously excluded from formal investment systems.

Agama also stressed the need for stronger collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, fintech firms and investors to build a resilient technology-driven market ecosystem.

He said Nigeria’s ongoing capital market reforms and adoption of intelligent investing frameworks would boost investor confidence, improve transparency and position the country as a leading investment destination in Africa.

“Confidence is the ultimate asset in a capital market. Every disclosure we enforce, every fraud we prosecute, every investor we educate adds to the stock of market confidence,” he said.