The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced plans to prioritise mobilising long-term capital in 2026 to address Nigeria’s infrastructure and sectoral deficits, while tightening regulatory processes and expanding access to innovative financing instruments.
The Director-General of the Commission, Emomotimi Agama, disclosed this in a New Year message issued in Abuja, outlining a strategy to direct disciplined capital into productive areas of the economy.
Agama said the Commission would facilitate the issuance of infrastructure, green, and municipal bonds, as well as infrastructure-focused funds, to attract sustained domestic and foreign investment.
According to him, the initiative is designed to channel long-term capital into critical sectors such as roads, power, rail, housing and digital infrastructure, while simplifying market access for state governments and infrastructure companies.
The SEC chief also revealed plans to promote the listing of agribusiness firms and introduce tailored listing windows for agricultural cooperatives and value-chain companies.
He noted that commodity exchanges, agricultural investment trusts and commodities-linked instruments would be deployed to reduce risks in agriculture, ensure fair pricing for farmers, strengthen food security and broaden citizen participation in the sector.
Agama further said the Commission would revitalise Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and introduce affordable housing bonds to unlock capital for large-scale housing delivery, expand investor asset classes and improve access to homeownership.
He added that regulatory reforms were underway to encourage listings by small and medium-scale enterprises, particularly in manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceutical, and finished-goods production, as part of efforts to provide patient capital, reduce import dependence, and stimulate job creation.
The DG said the capital market would also be leveraged to support the power sector through infrastructure and green energy bonds, project-backed securities and public-private investment vehicles, targeting grid expansion, renewable energy projects and energy-transition initiatives.
Agama said the SEC was entering the New Year with a renewed mandate to reposition the Nigerian capital market as a key driver of economic growth and a hub for solutions to the country’s development challenges.
