SEC UNVEILS NEW STRATEGY TO TURN DORMANT NIGERIAN RESOURCES INTO $500 BILLION INVESTMENT ASSETS

SEC targets $500bn windfall by transforming Nigeria’s dormant resources into tradable assets under new investment law.

Nigeria Investment-grade assets Dominat resources Investment Capital market.
SEC Director-General, Dr. Emomotimi Agama
SEC Director-General, Dr. Emomotimi Agama



The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced a bold strategy to convert Nigeria’s dormant agricultural and mineral resources into investment-grade assets, potentially unlocking over $500 billion in value for the country’s capital market.

Speaking at the national workshop of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Abuja on Tuesday, the SEC Director-General, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, outlined how the Commission plans to formalise commodities and warehouse receipts, transforming them into tradable securities. This move, he said, would significantly deepen market liquidity and shift the nation’s economic dependence away from oil.

“By formalising commodities and warehouse receipts, we can unlock $500 billion in dormant agricultural and mineral assets. These will be transformed into tradable securities to generate wealth and drive diversification,” Agama said.

Central to this transformation is the newly enacted Investments and Securities Act, 2025, which Agama described as both a legislative milestone and a strategic lever for economic advancement. According to him, the Act provides the SEC with sharper regulatory tools and broader authority to reposition the capital market as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic aspirations.

“The Act sharpens the SEC’s regulatory focus, ensuring it operates with the precision and authority required to steward a rapidly expanding market,” he stated.

Agama emphasized that the capital market, powered by the provisions of the new Act, will play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s journey toward achieving a $1 trillion economy. “The question before us is no longer if Nigeria can achieve a $1 trillion economy, but how soon,” he said. “The capital market, under this new Act, will be the accelerant.”

The SEC chief also highlighted new investor protection measures enshrined in the legislation, including safeguards for those impacted by revoked dealer licenses, a move he believes will restore trust in the financial system and increase public participation.

“Investors are now covered for losses from revoked dealer licenses, a long-awaited safeguard that will boost participation. Trust is the currency of our capital markets. Without it, liquidity dries up,” Agama said.

He reiterated the Commission’s dedication to fostering market integrity, transparency, and investor confidence, describing them as essential foundations for sustainable economic growth.

With this new legal and regulatory momentum, Nigeria’s capital market is poised not just to evolve but to emerge as a transformative force in the country’s economic narrative.

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