The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Emomotimi Agama, has said the Commission is targeting about 20 million retail investors through deeper integration between fintech platforms and the banking system as part of efforts to expand participation in Nigeria’s capital market.
Agama disclosed this at the FSDH Investor Conference 2026 held in Lagos, where he outlined the Commission’s strategy to position data, artificial intelligence and technology-driven regulation at the centre of investment decision-making in Nigeria’s financial markets.
According to him, the future of investing will increasingly depend on the quality of intelligence and data available to investors rather than the volume of capital under their control, as global financial markets move into what he described as the era of “intelligent investing.”
He said advances in artificial intelligence, real-time analytics, distributed ledger technology and algorithmic systems are already reshaping how investments are priced, allocated and protected across global markets.
“We are at the threshold of what scholars and practitioners are calling the era of intelligent investing , a paradigm in which data does not merely inform decisions, but actively participates in them,” Agama said.
The SEC DG noted that the Commission had embarked on what he described as one of the most extensive regulatory reform programmes in its history to ensure Nigeria remains competitive in the rapidly evolving global investment landscape.
He explained that the reforms are designed to create a forward-looking capital market structure capable of supporting intelligent investing through faster settlement systems, tokenised securities, digital assets regulation and deeper derivatives markets.
According to him, the Commission’s seven-pillar capital market infrastructure strategy includes plans to achieve T+1 settlement cycles, strengthen digital asset oversight and establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for tokenised securities.
Agama also revealed that the SEC is developing governance standards for artificial intelligence applications within the capital market to ensure transparency, accountability and investor protection.
“We are developing AI governance frameworks for capital market participants — frameworks that demand explainability, accountability and algorithmic fairness. An investor in Nigeria deserves to know not only what decisions were made on their behalf, but how those decisions were reached,” he said.
He stressed that intelligent investing must not be limited to institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, adding that technology-driven investment solutions have the potential to democratise wealth creation opportunities for artisans, small businesses and low-income earners previously excluded from formal financial systems.
The SEC boss said the Commission’s fintech-bank integration strategy would significantly broaden retail participation in the capital market and deepen financial inclusion across the country.
Agama further emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, fintech companies and investors in building a resilient and technology-driven investment ecosystem.
He said Nigeria’s adoption of intelligent investing frameworks and digital finance reforms would improve market transparency, strengthen investor confidence and position the country as a leading investment destination in Africa.
The SEC DG added that the Commission was intensifying investor protection measures through enhanced enforcement mechanisms, financial literacy initiatives and the establishment of a dedicated Investor Protection Department.
“Confidence is the ultimate asset in a capital market. Every disclosure we enforce, every fraud we prosecute, every investor we educate adds to the stock of market confidence,” he said.
Agama also noted that Nigeria’s growing participation in African capital market integration initiatives and digital finance programmes would help mobilise long-term investments into infrastructure, gender finance and other critical sectors of the economy.
He commended FSDH Merchant Bank for providing a platform for stakeholders to discuss the future of intelligent investing, noting that collaboration and data-sharing would remain critical to building globally competitive financial markets in Nigeria.
