By Felix Omoh-Asun
The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, has called for the empowerment of African youths to take up the challenge of digital access to drive innovation and growth in the continent.
Agama, who made this call, during his acceptance speech following his election as Vice Chairman of the Africa/Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), said youths must be empowered through retail investor programmes to democratise digital market participation.
His election marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s capital market leadership and signals a renewed commitment to regional integration, youth empowerment, and digital transformation.
He projected that opportunities in digital assets across Africa and the Middle East could reach $10 trillion by 2030, citing the region’s youthful and tech-savvy population as a key driver of innovation and growth.
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“With 70 per cent of Africa’s population under 30, we must empower youth through retail investor programmes to democratise market participation, fintech sandboxes to nurture youth-led innovation, and listings of high-growth startups to create wealth and jobs,” Agama said.
Agama, whose appointment offers him a seat on the Board of IOSCO, the highest decision-making body of the global securities regulatory organisation, where he will serve until 2026, emphasised that Africa and the Middle East must lead and not follow in the digital asset revolution.
He said the continent must leverage demographic advantages and emerging technologies to transform capital markets into engines of inclusive growth, innovation, and shared prosperity.
Agama stressed that his strategic priorities as Vice Chairman will include working with committee to expand listings and also collaborate with the African Financial Markets Initiative (AFMI) and Sub-Saharan African exchanges to harmonize standards, reduce listing costs, and create cross-border linkages.
“To boost liquidity, we will pioneer regional market-making schemes and advocate for pension fund reforms to channel domestic savings into productive investments,” he added.
Agama also stressed the importance of de-risking infrastructure investments to attract global capital, noting that infrastructure alone is not sufficient without inclusive financial participation.
He revealed plans to launch a Listings Growth Initiative focused on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), aimed at deepening market access and creating sustainable pathways for business expansion across the continent.
IOSCO, established in 1983, is the leading international policy forum for securities regulators, with membership spanning over 100 jurisdictions and regulating more than 95% of the world’s securities markets. The organization sets global standards for securities regulation and promotes investor protection, market integrity, and financial stability.
Agama acknowledged the progress made by IOSCO in recent years but emphasized that continued collaboration and mutual support among member nations would be essential to achieving shared goals.
“There is still a lot of work to be done. I call on members to continue to render the mutual support and cooperation of past years for the benefit of investors, markets, and indeed the world economy,” he said.
