The Federal Government, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Africa and Middle East Depositories Association (AMEDA), and key financial market players have called for deeper collaboration to strengthen capital market infrastructure as a foundation for economic transformation.
The call was made at the 2025 AMEDA Conference, hosted in Lagos by the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc. With the theme “Shaping the Future: Financial Markets and Infrastructure as Catalysts for Transforming Economies,” the event convened influential leaders from both public and private sectors.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs Tope Fasua, emphasized the need to reposition financial systems as drivers of inclusive growth in Africa and the Middle East. He noted the accelerating influence of technology, digital platforms, and innovation on financial ecosystems.
“We need infrastructure that sustains trust, enables transparency, and provides the liquidity our markets require,” Shettima said. “These institutions, though often working in the background, are essential to the functioning of modern economies.”
Reaffirming the federal government’s commitment, he highlighted ongoing regulatory reforms, support for MSMEs, and increased deployment of financial instruments like green bonds, Sukuk, and social bonds to broaden market participation and strengthen Nigeria’s investment climate.
In a goodwill message, SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama represented by Executive Commissioner Bola Ajomale described financial markets as agents of national development and regional integration. He spotlighted the newly enacted Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025, which repeals the 2007 Act. The new legislation expands the SEC’s regulatory authority, strengthens investor protections, and introduces regulatory frameworks for digital assets and derivatives.
Delivering the opening address, CSCS CEO and AMEDA Vice Chairman, Haruna Jalo-Waziri, urged stakeholders to see financial market infrastructure not as passive enablers but as active catalysts for economic resilience.
“As we navigate digital transformation, shifting demographics, and geopolitical shifts, our focus must be on building inclusive, integrated, and resilient markets,” he said.
Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mosopefolu George, reiterated the state’s dedication to infrastructure development through its 2025 Budget of Sustainability. He stressed that financial markets must be supported by tangible infrastructure that connects people, capital, and innovation.
In his keynote address, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, commended CSCS for organizing the conference. He called on AMEDA members to unite in building robust, interconnected capital markets that can position Africa and the Middle East as a powerful economic bloc.
“Your collaboration and shared expertise can unlock long-term prosperity across the region,” he said.
Closing the event, AMEDA Chairman Abdulla Abdin underscored the timeliness of the conference theme, pointing out that financial market infrastructure lies at the heart of sustainable innovation, investment, and inclusive growth in an era of global economic rebalancing.
