… Unveils ISA 2025, Launches New SEC’s Website
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Mr. Wale Edun , has emphasized the crucial role of the capital market in achieving the nation’s ambitious target of raising the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) value to $1 trillion by year 2030.
Speaking at the Capital Market Committee (CMC) meeting, Edun who was represented by Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, highlighted the market’s transformation since 2015, with improvements in governance structures, new products and platforms, stronger regulatory environment, and growing investor participation.
According to the minister, the implementation of the Capital Market Master Plan (2015-2025), has been instrumental in increasing the market’s contribution to the national economy, developing a sophisticated market structure, and improving competitiveness.
Edun, who noted that the revised plan prioritized digitalization, innovation, sustainability, inclusion, and capital formation, aligning with the broader economic reform agenda, pointed out that
the passage of the new Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 modernized the legal and regulatory framework, streamlines enforcement mechanisms, and provides clarity on emerging areas such as digital assets and crowdfunding.
On the challenges and opportunities inherent in the Act, the minister explained that the Act would help deepen market participation, as well as ensure regulatory coordination remain tight.
Speaking on the government’s private sector innovation in creating the needed environment for businesses to thrive, he stressed that the government was committed to creating an enabling environment for private sector innovation to flourish within a fair and transparent environment.
Edun estimated that the capital market was expected to contribute to the economy not only for capital raising, but also as a vehicle for wealth creation, economic inclusion, and long-term national resilience.
He explained that, with the SEC’s regulatory reforms, including joining the GBMC Network of IOSCO in promoting and implementing ISSB Standards amongst others, the domestic economy recorded the fastest GDP growth in about a decade in 2024, driven by a strong fourth quarter performance and improved fiscal position.
Earlier in his speech, the Director-General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, reiterated the commission’s commitment to regulatory reforms and capital market growth, adding that the enactment of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 marks the beginning of a transformative new era for the capital market.
Agama also spoke on the commission’s efforts to deepen engagement with stakeholders, ensure widespread dissemination and understanding of the new law, and drive innovation and compliance, harping on the importance of restoring investor confidence, bringing timely relief to aggrieved investors, and creating a platform for broad-based participation of Nigerians in wealth creation.
The investment expert further hinted that the Commission had constituted an implementation team to thoroughly engage with every provision of the ISA 2025 and set up a dedicated sensitization team to deepen public understanding of the new law while it also launched a podcast series to simplify the ISA 2025 and make it accessible to all Nigerians.
Agama recalled the Nigerian capital market’s performance in 2024, with the NGX All-Share Index increasing by 37.65% and market capitalization growing by 53.39% and emphasized the importance of financial inclusion and investor education, citing the Commission’s initiatives to empower women, youth, and grassroots communities.
One of the key highlights of the CMC meeting was the unveiling of the ISA Act 2025 by the minister.
Photo Caption
L-R: Director General SEC Dr. Emomotimi Agama, Minister of State for Finance Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite and Executive Commissioner Operations SEC Mr. Bola Ajomale at the First Quarter Capital Market Committee Meeting held on Monday in Lagos
