Dr. Emomotimi Agama, Director-General of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has been elected Vice Chairman of the Africa/Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). This position also grants him a seat on IOSCO’s Board, the highest decision-making body of the global securities regulator forum, where he will serve until 2026.
IOSCO is the leading international policy forum for securities regulators, representing over 95% of the world’s securities markets across more than 100 jurisdictions. Dr. Agama expressed gratitude for the confidence placed in him and framed his election as a mandate to transform capital markets in Africa and the Middle East into engines for inclusive growth, innovation, and shared prosperity.
He outlined key priorities including harmonizing market standards, reducing listing costs, fostering cross-border market linkages, and pioneering regional market-making schemes. A focus will also be on pension fund reforms to boost liquidity and channel domestic savings into productive investments across the region.
On digital innovation, Dr. Agama emphasized embracing the rapidly growing digital assets sector — projected to be worth $10 trillion by 2030 — while managing associated risks. His plans include developing stable-coin regulations, frameworks for tokenized securities, and investor protection standards for cryptocurrencies to ensure market stability alongside innovation.
Looking ahead, AMERC under Dr. Agama’s leadership will launch initiatives to grow SME listings, create a cross-border settlement system to enhance liquidity, and establish a Digital Assets Working Group. Capital markets literacy and youth empowerment through fintech innovation and retail investor programs are also key parts of his vision for sustainable regional market development.
Source: Leadership