SEC DG Seeks Shift to Sustainable Finance

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Emomotimi Agama, says the global shift towards sustainable finance is transforming investment decisions, corporate governance, and risk management — a development Nigeria’s capital market must embrace to stay competitive and relevant.

Speaking at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) in Abuja, Agama described sustainability as a global imperative that transcends technology and ethics, noting that Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles now drive responsible investing and capital allocation worldwide.

“In line with this, the Commission has taken bold steps to align our market with global sustainability standards,” he said.

“Through the adoption of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) framework, the Green Bond Programme, and partnerships with development agencies, we are laying the foundation for a financial system that supports Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon and inclusive economy.”

Dr. Agama urged stockbrokers and other market operators to take a lead in promoting sustainable investment products, guiding issuers on ESG disclosures, and advising investors toward responsible assets.

He emphasized that the SEC and CIS share a vision of building a capital market that mobilizes savings for productive investment, supports job creation, and drives economic diversification. Their ongoing collaboration, he noted, in professional certification, investor education, financial literacy, and policy advocacy continues to deliver tangible progress.

“The task ahead,” he added, “is to make the capital market central to Nigeria’s economic transformation — one that finances infrastructure, empowers MSMEs, supports green and digital enterprises, and contributes meaningfully to realizing a trillion-dollar economy.”

Commending the resilience of market operators amid challenging conditions, Dr. Agama said their professionalism underscores the strength of Nigeria’s capital market and its power to transform the economy.

“With the world changing fast,” he concluded, “our market must not only keep pace but lead by example, through innovation that empowers, ethics that endure, and sustainability that delivers long-term prosperity for all.”