Nigeria targets N750trn capital market in 10 years – Daily Trust

By Al-Mustapha A. Mustapha

Nigeria is focusing on a N750 trillion capital market by 2036 as the federal government strikes to mobilise home financial savings for funding and cut back reliance on financial institution lending and overseas sources of financing.

The goal, up from a baseline of about N250 trillion, is contained in the Nigerian Capital Market Master Plan 2.0 (2026–2036), unveiled by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday in Abuja alongside a National Savings Scheme designed to encourage Nigerians to avoid wasting and make investments.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, stated a deeper capital market was wanted to assist Nigeria’s ambition of constructing a $1 trillion financial system and guarantee companies may entry long-term capital.

“Higher share prices alone do not transform an economy. What matters is whether capital reaches productive businesses and whether ordinary Nigerians share in the returns,” he stated.

Oyedele stated the federal government would assist the event of recent funding merchandise, together with infrastructure funds, actual property funding trusts and sustainable finance devices.

He stated chosen state-owned enterprises can be inspired to record on the Nigerian Exchange to enhance transparency and permit Nigerians to share in their worth, whereas personal corporations can be inspired to record via incentives somewhat than compulsion.

The SEC Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, stated the market’s progress in worth had not translated into adequate participation by Nigerians, whereas companies and infrastructure tasks remained closely reliant on banks, authorities budgets and overseas sources of capital.

“Too few Nigerians own a share, a bond or a unit in a collective investment scheme. Too much of our savings sits idle, outside the formal system, quietly eroded by inflation,” Agama stated.

He stated the National Savings Scheme would supply Nigerians with a proper channel to avoid wasting and make investments, with funds managed by skilled fund managers registered with the fee.

“The National Savings Scheme is, first and foremost, an instrument of inclusion,” he stated.

Agama stated the scheme had authorized backing underneath the Investments and Securities Act 2025. He added that the SEC would work with the Nigeria Revenue Service and FSD Africa on its implementation, together with tax incentives supposed to encourage financial savings.

He stated the brand new grasp plan was developed via consultations with market operators, buyers, regulators and authorities establishments, with implementation to be tracked via assigned obligations, timelines and efficiency measures.

“Every commitment in NCMMP 2.0 will have an owner, a timeline and a scorecard, and we will report progress openly to this nation,” he stated.

Agama stated fairness market capitalisation crossed N100 trillion for the primary time in January and reached recent data above N160 trillion in September. He added that the All-Share Index rose by about 60 per cent in 2026, following a 51 per cent return in 2025.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, who represented Vice-President Kashim Shettima, stated the capital market ought to play a higher function in financing infrastructure and improvement somewhat than leaving the federal government depending on public budgets and overseas borrowing.

Hadejia stated the Nigerian Exchange All-Share Index had risen from about 35,000 factors in May 2023 to about 246,000 factors, whereas the worth of listed equities had grown from about N30 trillion to just about N160 trillion.

“The capital market is a bridge between the savings of Nigerians and the investment Nigeria needs,” he stated.

He added that the National Economic Council would work with the SEC to assist states perceive tips on how to use the capital market responsibly to finance improvement tasks.