The Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, has been elected Vice Chairman of the Africa/Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the commission on Sunday. With this election, Dr. Agama will also serve on the IOSCO Board, which is the highest decision-making body of the global securities regulatory organisation, until 2026. His role is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s voice in the global capital market community.
IOSCO, established in 1983, is recognised as the global standard-setter for securities markets and serves as the leading international policy forum for securities regulators. The organisation has membership from over 100 jurisdictions and regulates more than 95 per cent of the world’s securities markets.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Agama thanked members of AMERC for trusting his leadership abilities. He pledged to work closely with member countries to build stronger, more transparent, and inclusive capital markets in Africa and the Middle East.
“This is more than a personal honour; it is a mandate to transform our capital markets into engines of inclusive growth, innovation, and shared prosperity for Africa and the Middle East,” Dr. Agama said. He noted that the election would help Nigeria play a bigger role in shaping policies that affect both regional and global markets.
Outlining his priorities for his tenure, the SEC boss said he would work towards increasing the number of companies listed on African and Middle Eastern exchanges through harmonised listing standards. He also promised to focus on reducing listing costs for companies, boosting liquidity through regional market-making programmes, and advancing pension fund reforms so that more domestic savings can be channelled into investments.
Dr. Agama emphasised the need to de-risk infrastructure projects to make them more attractive to international investors. He explained that improving the investment environment for large-scale infrastructure projects could bring in much-needed capital for development. He also stressed the importance of using Africa’s youthful population to grow retail investor participation, encourage fintech innovation, and promote startup listings on exchanges across the region.
Speaking on the opportunities in the digital assets sector, Dr. Agama described it as a $10 trillion market potential by 2030. He called for clear regulations for stablecoins, proper frameworks for tokenised securities, and strong investor protection rules for cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. According to him, these measures would ensure that the region benefits from the growing global adoption of blockchain-based financial products while safeguarding investors.
Dr. Agama’s election comes at a time when the Nigerian capital market is seeking more global partnerships to improve investment inflows. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria recently announced its entry into the Growth and Emerging Markets Committee Network on sustainability. The move is aimed at aligning the Nigerian capital market with global sustainability standards and promoting responsible investment practices.
The SEC under Dr. Agama’s leadership has been working on reforms to make the Nigerian market more competitive, transparent, and attractive to both local and foreign investors. The focus areas include improving regulations for collective investment schemes, developing the commodities market, deepening the green bond market, and expanding the role of technology in market operations.
His position in IOSCO is expected to help Nigeria tap into international best practices, attract technical support, and foster collaborations that will benefit the country’s financial sector. It will also provide an opportunity for Nigerian regulators to contribute to policy discussions on critical issues such as cross-border market linkages, investor protection, fintech regulation, and sustainable finance.
Market analysts believe Dr. Agama’s appointment will boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory environment. They note that the IOSCO Board position will give Nigeria a stronger platform to influence decisions that could open new investment channels into the country.
